Tell Me That You're Mine
by AGirlNamedWhiskey
Summary: (AU) Peeta Mellark just wanted to survive high school, but after being coerced into a racing competition against a rival school he knew his life would never be the same…especially when he's up against the infamous, Katniss Everdeen.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Tell Me That You're Mine (Chapter 1)

**Pairing**: Eventually Katniss/ Peeta

**Minor Characters**: Gale, Johanna, Finnick, Cato, Thresh, Glimmer and Marvel (Some other characters might show up unexpectedly)

**R****ated: R **for language and sexual content

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Hunger Games series, or any of the characters that belong to Suzanne Collins. I do not own rights to any songs that might be listed within the story and I also do not make any profit from this story.

_(I also currently do not have a beta, so I apologize for any grammatical errors you might fine)_

**Summary:** (AU: Everlark) Peeta Mellark just wanted to survive his Senior year, but after being coerced into a racing competition against a rival school he knew his life would never be the same…especially when he's up against the infamous, Katniss Everdeen. (Language/sexual content)

(Side Note: Katniss and Peeta have never met before)

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Lancaster, Ohio**

**East Lancaster High School: (District 10) **

Peeta Mellark had always found it interesting that no matter where he was situated all-learning institutions were pretty much the same.

He considered himself an expert since he had been enrolled in plenty of schools in the past four years.

In those four years, he had experienced seven towns, and seven different schools. For lack of a better word, Peeta felt as if he had wasted most of his high-school experience.

All these school had the same exact energy flowing through, and each displaying a social hierarchy that always left him at the very bottom of the totem poll. The only thing that was truly different was his locker combination.

Peeta exhaled as walked down the corridor of his buzzy school hallway, hoping that he could at least finish his senior year in peace.

A part of him understood that this was the life of an army brat, but a larger part of him wanted to have a normal high school experience. He wanted to be able to make friends instead of being a loner, for in the back of his mind he always suspected that within a few months he would be, once again, uprooted.

Peeta had pleaded with his father to at least stay in one place long enough to catch his breath, but _again_ that's the price one pays for being an army brat.

Colonel Dean Mellark had promised his son, a few months before their final move, that Lancaster would be the place where he would be able to finish out his final school year.

When Peeta found out that they were moving to a small town in Ohio he began to silently wish for another speedy move elsewhere.

The town had a population of about 38,000 people, and somehow each citizens of Lancaster knew bits and pieces about his family. This wouldn't be odd-_except_ his father was a very private man, so it was rather surprising that many new about his dad's career and background.

Lack of privacy was usually the major backdrop of living in any small-town. Peeta, in all honesty, was just glad to be able to make least a few friends while stuck within the confines of District 10…even if a part of him felt like it was all just temporary.

Peeta was shuffling down the hallway trying to ignore the loud hollering of a few athletes who were stomping by.

The ashy blonde haired boy was relieved that he had survived another week of District 10's higher education, and that he made it through his last class without an embarrassing incident.

He was looking forward to a nonproductive weekend, for he was already counting down the days until he started working part-time at the local bakery next week.

Peeta was abruptly pulled from his thoughts as he overheard a few of the guys from the soccer team arguing over some event that was happening that night.

"Odair said we needed two riders!" Richardson shouted to one of the jocks standing beside him. "We are one man short since Thom had to go, and get himself suspended."

"It's not a big deal," Evans answered, while throwing as few of his books into the locker that was located near Peeta's. "We still have time to find a quick replacement."

Peeta couldn't help but wonder what the jocks were discussing, but tried his very best not to make it seem so obvious that he was, in fact, eavesdropping.

"We have no one…" Richardson stated, to his friend in a frustrated tone. "No one wants to ride down Miller's bluff. We're so lucky that Graham agreed to be the other rider."

The group continued deliberating options for an alternate rider when, Glimmer, the schools sharp-tongued beauty, strolled over to her locker.

"Glimmer!" Evans shouted as he spotted the blonde haired girl. "How are things?"

"Let's cut through the pleasantries, shall we?" Glimmer replied, while rolling her emerald eyes to the group that was congregating near her locker. "What do you want?"

"Do you feel the need for speed?" Richardson asked, with a sardonic smile on his thin lips.

"Not particularly," she retorted back to the jocks without hesitation.

"So…is that a no or like a maybe?" Dan asked as he shrugged his shoulders waiting a direct response.

"I'm not riding in one of Odair's Races…_end of story_. Why don't you have the new guy that's been eavesdropping on our conversation do it?" Glimmer stated, with an undeniable evil smirk, as she pointed to Peeta.

The ashy blonde haired boy, in that moment, wished he were either invisible or camouflaged so he could evade any odd stares that were being thrown his way.

"Mellark?" Evans asked, turning his vision from Peeta back to Glimmer.

Peeta calmly closed his locker before turning his gaze to the group that was currently staring at him.

"Yeah," Peeta awkwardly answered, in a low tone, not knowing if he should engage or pretend he wasn't listening to their _private_ conversation.

"So… what do you say, Mellark? Evan's asked with a huge fake smile following his smooth words. "You in?"

"In on what?" Peeta responded nonchalantly back with a shrug. "I haven't the slightest idea of what you are all talking about."

"Do you have a license?" Richardson asked bluntly.

Richardson knew that this was a long shot, but they were running out of options. The race was vastly approaching with little time to deliberate candidates. They would be competing against a few of the other district schools, and somehow they ways managed to be the laughing stock of these underground completions.

"Yeah, I have a license," Peeta, answered not knowing where the conversation was going. "Why?"

"Do you know how to drive stick-shift?" Evans asked, as he began zipping-up his gym bag.

"Kind-of," Peeta responding already feeling like he was entering some sort of death trap.

Peeta Mellark could honestly say, in that moment, that curiosity and eavesdropping could potentially lead to his untimely demise.

"Perfect!" Michelson responded, with a monotone praise, to the confused boy standing in front of him. "You're in."

"P-perfect? Perfect for what e-exactly?" Peeta stuttered, already feeling pressure about this event even though he knew nothing about it.

"Glimmer will fill you in on the details," Michelson replied, as he casually made his way down the hall, so he wouldn't have to explain the nature of the event to Mellark.

"Head to Seam's Crossing by Miller's bluff…it's located near the county line," Evans stated, while closing his heavy locker door. "Be there at 11:00, and make sure no one follows you."

Peeta watched as the tall jock sprinted down the hall, in the same direction as Michelson, leaving him somewhat stunned.

"_What the hell just happen_?" Peeta thought to himself while leaning into his cold locker.

He slowly turned his gaze towards Glimmer hoping she could shed some light on this current predicament.

Gale Hawthorne, Peeta's neighbor, approached quickly noticing the tension in the air.

"What's got your panties in a bunch, Glimm?" Gale asked, with a chuckle, when he noticed the death glare the blonde girl was throwing his way.

"Who is currently in your line of fire?" Gale asked, as he nudge's Peeta's shoulder. "What's up with you?"

"Your friend here _is_ going to be the second rider in Odair's competition tonight," she answered with an amused grin forming on her perfectly glossed lips.

"Right," Gale responded, as he looked over to see if the emerald-eyed girl was pulling his leg, but by the looks of Peeta's pale appearance only confirmed that Glimmer was actually telling the truth. "Peeta?"

Peeta simply looked away hoping that the earth would just swallow him whole, for any other alternative seemed to end badly at this point.

"Why the hell would you agree to be a rider?" Gale asked with a perplexed expression written across his stubble face.

"I didn't! Glimmer took it upon herself to nominate me," Peeta replied motioning to the blonde girl adjacent from him. Peeta began rubbing his slender hands over his tired face. "What the hell did you sign me up for, Glimm?"

"Relax, Mellark," The blonde stated with an unconcerned shrug. "Racing in one of Odair's competitions, by the outskirts of town, is considered a rite of passage here in Lancaster. Consider it an induction."

"I'm not here to end up in juvie, Glimmer," Peeta stated firmly, and without any humor in his tone.

"Have you ever raced before?" Gale asked, finally chiming in, for he knew that Peeta wasn't the type to put himself in this sort of predicament willingly.

Gale considered Peeta to be a levelheaded individual not someone who was about to embark on a social suicide mission.

"No… not really. We are talking about racing an actual car not some tractor, right?" Peeta asked not being able to help the chuckle that escaped his mouth.

"Tractor Racing?" Glimmer repeated with confusion in her green eyes.

The young girl couldn't help but roll her eyes, for it seemed as though Mellark was not fully aware of the seriousness of this situation.

"Well, this is a small town after all," Peeta, answered with a small grin.

"I'll be sure to send flowers to your father when they finish scrapping your body off of the curb," Glimmer crudely stated as she slammed her locker door shut.

"Don't listen to Glimm she's always in a mood," Gale replied, as he watched Glimmer disappear down the opposite hallway. "They probably just want to see if you can handle yourself on the open road. Most of the student's here are your average everyday gear-heads who have parents that worship NASCAR."

"Do I have to bring my car?" Peeta asked knowing that it sounded like a stupid question as the words slipped out of his dry mouth.

"_That's_… a question you don't want me answering right now," Gale whispered while avoiding eye contact.

Gale realized that this wasn't the perfect spot to have this type conversation, for everyone knew to keep the topic of the underground races out of the school walls.

The school administration weren't blind to what was occurring outside of the campus, but it was futile to step in since the students were always careful enough not to get caught in the act.

It had been years since a rider had been apprehended, but that still didn't mean that the riders were to act in a reckless manner that could potentially unveil the inner workings of the races.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Peeta asked with confusion written all over his concerned pale face. "It's a simple question, Gale."

"The cars are _usually_ provided to the riders," Gale whispered in the lowest possible tone. "Please, don't make me spell it out for you."

"These are stolen cars!" Peeta abruptly shouted, not caring that a few students that were passing by were giving them strange looks. "Are you freaking serious?"

"Christ! Keep your voice down!" Gale firmly stated while casually looking around to make sure no one heard his friend's loud outburst. "They are considered _borrowed cars_. Odair, from Lakeview Heights in District 4, works at an auto-repair shop. He occasionally brings some of cars over."

"You have got to be kidding me," Peeta replied knowing that this wasn't really something he would normally sign up for.

He also didn't want to think about the look on his fathers face if something went wrong, and with his luck it was did.

"Just make sure you don't wreck anything because Odair will have your ass," Gale chuckled when he looked at the hilarious expression his friend was sporting. "Relax."

"How many riders are there in these events?" Peeta calmly asked knowing that since he had no other choice he would need to figure out his next move. Survival was the key here, and he needed to know what he was up against.

"Usually four...but I heard that this race has roughly six riders," Gale began to explain quietly. "The race will have two riders from each district school, but not all the districts will be in attendance since we are limited with our _borrowed_ vehicles."

"Why not bring your own car?"

"You really don't want your license plate parading around the bluff, and I hear the Sheriff is really cracking down this year on these competitions," Gale stated, as he motioned for them to start heading out of the almost empty hallway. "A word of advice, take the borrowed car."

"Alright," Peeta answered with a nod while trying to wrap his head around this cluster fuck.

"No pressure," Gale joked with friendly smirk. "After you are given a car you will then get to choose your collateral passenger."

"Collateral passenger?"

"It means that you can take someone from a rival district in your car with you," Gale answered, as if it was obvious what the term meant, for he was forgetting that this was all novel concept for the new boy in town.

"What is the purpose of having another person in the car?" Peeta responded while opening the exit door of the school. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Think of the collateral passenger as insurance, so that riders won't run off or do anything stupid because the other team has something of theirs in the car with them," Gale explained as they both were slowly approaching Gale's car that was parked by the football field. "I know some riders like to choose a rival riders girlfriend or sibling as collateral."

"Fuck my life," Peeta responded with distain as his head banged on the hood of Gale's car.

"Watch the paint," Gale warned, continuing to watch his friend's worried demeanor. "You are going to be fine, Peeta. They are not expecting you to win just… make sure you're not the last one either."

* * *

**Seam's Crossing**

**10:45pm**

Peeta had been trying to calm his nerves since the moment Gale arrived at his house that evening. While he was at home Peeta tried to pretend that everything was okay, but he knew his 16-year old sister, Hannah, could see past his strange façade.

Peeta spent the remainder of his time locked in his room listening to music and sketching until it was time to leave.

Peeta always found that drawing in his sketchbook brought his some form of serenity to his unsteady existence. When you are constantly traveling one needs to find an accessible hobby that will help pass time, and yet-this time he felt anxiety as he finished up his latest sketch.

The rest of ride to the landing was spent with Gale coaching Peeta on techniques and moves he would need to use while he was out on the bluff.

Peeta was a bit impressed by the turn out as they pulled into the empty field, for it looked as though two hundred students had come out see the live action.

"I think I'm going to throw-up," Peeta groaned at the mere sight of the large crowd.

"Make sure that if you are going to vomit do it outside of the car," Gale chuckle, quickly noticing Glimmer with her best friend, Leevy.

"Well, look who finally made it," Glimmer greeted, when she saw the boys coming into her line of sight. "I thought you would have been miles away by now, Mellark."

"Save it, Glimmer," Peeta replied as he rolled his eyes, for the blonde girl was definitely wearing down his patience. "What do I have to do?"

"Riders are to report to Odair," Leevy chimed in as she pointed to a small group of riders who were standing near several expensive looking cars. "The strikingly gorgeous guy with the golden tan is, Finnick Odair. I'm sure he'll fill you in on the rules, and the route for the evening."

"Thanks," Peeta gratefully answered back to the dark haired girl in front of him.

"Good-luck," Glimmer called out as Gale and Peeta made their way over to the group of riders.

Peeta immediately noticed the second rider from his school, and took a moment to observe the other unknown opponents.

"…_You're all going to start twenty yards from the bluff_," Peeta faintly heard Odair explaining the route as he held up a marked map. " You'll ride through the bluff which will then lead you to Panem Avenue."

"_Hold up_…Panem Avenue is a main road in Lancaster," One of the other riders stated with apprehension.

"_And_…your point? Odair asked, with a hint of aggravation, because Finnick always hated being interrupted.

"I'm just saying that that area is always swarming with people," The rider tried explaining soon realizing that he needed to pick his battles carefully. "Isn't it a bit dangerous to be having us drive so close to town?"

"If you don't like the course then by all means step down, and have someone else take your place. My _route_…my _rules_." Finnick stated with an eerie coolness within his tone. "Shall we continue?"

The rider in question remained quiet, and quickly nodded for the organizer to continue explaining the marked track.

"Wonderful, _so_ lets try this again. You will all head towards Panem Avenue, and when you reach-_wait a second_," Finnick abruptly stopped explaining the route, for it seemed as though he noticed someone missing from the group. "Trinket! Where's Everdeen?"

"How should I know?" Marvel Trinket cried out from where he was currently preoccupied with Delly Cartwright.

"She's your sister, idiot," Odair stated, as he tried not losing his composure.

"Step-sister," Marvel corrected holding his red plastic cup in his hands.

"She said she was going to pick up Jo before heading over," The short blonde, located next to Marvel, responded back politely.

"Great," Finnick sarcastically replied, briefly checking his watch to make sure they were making good time. "When she arrives fill her in on the route."

Finnick turned his gaze back to the group casually spotting the newest member of East Lancaster High.

"You must be the newbie from District 10," Finnick finally addressing the newest rider within the group.

"Yeah, that's me," Peeta nodded, in a calm manner, while truly hoping that no one could smell the fear that was radiating from his very core in that particular moment.

"Alright, it's time for vehicle assignments," Odair stated over his shoulder motioning for the group to follow him.

"Have I mentioned how insane this is?" Peeta whispered over to Gale, both waiting for Finnick to finish assigning cars the awaiting riders.

"Think of it as initiation time," Gale mentioned knowing that nothing he was saying was going to make the blonde boy feel any better. Hell, Gale could remember with perfect clarity his first ride down the bluff, and it wasn't a pretty sight. "It will be over before you know it."

"If I get caught in a _borrowed_ car my father will not hesitate in shipping my ass off to Ft. Mills military boarding school," Peeta muttered under his breath.

"Stop it! You're seriously freaking me out, and I' am not even driving here," Gale stated as he crossed his large arms over his chest. "You grew up in military bases all around the world. I'm pretty sure you could maneuver a damn jet-plane if need be."

"Not likely," Peeta mumbled as he heard his name being called.

"Mellark," Odair hollered from behind a Civic.

"Yeah," Peeta responded back realizing his time was almost up.

"You are assigned to _The Black Pearl_," Finnick pointed to the black Nissan GT-R.

Peeta looked over to the shiny car located behind him, and then reality finally set in. He was going to race halfway across town with a bunch of his peers watching his every move, and even though fear was obviously present Peeta felt an unexpected feeling of control.

His father had always told him that living in the real world meant becoming your own hero. The only person you could truly depend was yourself. These were harsh concepts for a young boy to grasp, but for the first time Peeta was beginning to see the truth behind his father's words.

"District 10, since you are new I'll quickly go over my golden rule of racing," Finnick stated as he looked down at his watch for the third time in last ten minutes.

"And…What's that?" Peeta asked waiting for all the advice the slender coordinator could offer.

"Don't fucking crash the cars," Finnick answered with his signature grin forming on his lips.

"Wait…that's it?" Peeta asked, for he had anticipated there would be more to it than just that.

"Pretty much," Odair replied as he looked up and saw the final rider approaching.

"It's about time, Everdeen. I'm so glad you decided to grace us with your awesome presence," Finnick mocked as he walked toward the rider he was currently addressing.

Peeta slowly turned around to get a quick glimpse of the incoming rider only to see a slender figure approaching. The figure was sporting an uninterested glare, and a pair of the most beautiful gray eyes he had ever seen.

The final rider came in the form of dangerously hypnotizing girl.

Peeta, for unknown reasons, found himself staring directly at beautiful dark haired stranger. He didn't know if it was the cold glare this female rider was sporting or the confidence that radiated from her very presence that was attracting Peeta. All he could really acknowledge was that this strikingly intense girl was, indeed, a beautiful creature.

Peeta found himself looking away because he knew he was obviously gawking at the beautiful stranger who was now joining the rest of the group.

"It's not like this is my first time racing, Finn," Everdeen responded with disinterest in her voice as she looked around the group to see who she was racing against.

"I saved the Honda for you," Odair motioned to the last darkly colored car.

"Don't bother, I'm using mine tonight," Everdeen answered back as she placed bother her hands in the back pockets of her jeans.

"We've been over this a million times, Katniss," Odair replied as he rolled his eyes in frustration, but he knew better than to get into an argument with Katniss before a ride.

"…And we will continue to argue over this topic for another million times," Katniss answered back. "I'll take my chances, Finn."

"Have it your way, KitKat," Odair responded back as he turned to talk with one of the other riders.

"I still think riding your car is a bad idea," Johanna, Katniss's best friend since kindergarten, replied as the dark haired girl continued to look through the crowd.

"This coming from the girl who is currently banned from all hardware shops in Lancaster because she likes sharp objects a little too much," Katniss responded with a smirk.

"Fine, but I'm not the one who will be waving a red flag all through town when she drives her crimson red Camaro down Main Street," Johanna huffed as she began viewing the inpatient crowd. "Look at these people. All out here for a show…makes me sick."

"Then why do you insist on coming?" Katniss asked with a smirk.

"There's nothing else to do, and besides tonight might be the night your luck runs out," Johanna replied as she tucked one of her dyed hair strips behind her ear.

"Eager to watch me fail?" Katniss responded as her eyes casually took in her opponents.

"More like eager to see the look on your father's face when they drag you into the station," Jo casually replied as she nudged her friend's shoulder as a sign of playful banter. "You are seriously driving that man into an early grave."

Katniss, on the other hand, had tuned her friend out when she noticed an unfamiliar face among the appointed riders. The stranger was currently avoiding any eye contact, and looked as though he was trying to make himself seem undetectable.

"Are you the new kid from D-10 I've been hearing about? Katniss asked as she tilted her head to the side as she closely observed Peeta from afar.

Peeta quickly realized that the olive skinned girl was, in fact, addressing him.

Unfortunately, in that very moment Peeta seemed to be having trouble speaking, so he simply nodded in response.

Peeta continued to advert his gaze from Katniss, but he still felt her piercing gray eyes burning into him…watching his every more.

"Stop trying to scare the newbie," Odair stated in a mock reprimand to the brown haired girl as he walked passed them. "Alright, it's time to pick your collateral passengers."

The rider's were gathered around, in a circle within the empty spacious field, while the audience congregated near the group in order to see the exchanges taking place.

"Riders, you are to pick someone from another district to have as your co-rider or as I like to call them _temporary hostages_," Finnick announced for all to hear. "Thresh, you go first."

The time seemed to be passing by faster as opponents chose their collateral passengers carefully.

It was then Peeta's turn to pick his passenger, and he really couldn't decide where the hell to start.

While scanning the audience around him his eyes landed on the bored looking girl that arrived with Everdeen. Peeta knew he was taking a huge gamble, but somehow he figured it was better than getting stuck with some rival gear-head who would be berating him the whole time.

"Her," Peeta replied as he pointed towards Johanna.

Johanna seemed a bit caught off guard knowing fully well that her best friend was clearly not happy with the newbies request.

"Alight, Jo you're riding with Mellark," Finnick called out as he laughed at the utter look of distain on Johanna's face. "Wear your seatbelt it's his first time here."

Finnick then turned his view over to Katniss, so that she could to pick her co-rider.

Katniss was buying her time as she scanned the crowd when her eyes landed on the tall guy who had been talking with the new kid earlier.

Peeta looked up soon noticing the way Katniss was staring directly at him, for it was as if she was trying to see right through him.

"Him," Katniss responded as she pointed to Gale.

Gale looked stunned as he realized that he was going to participate in the race, and that was never fun.

Peeta knew Katniss was trying to get under his skin, but he still couldn't help but smile at her.

"Hawthorne, you're riding with Everdeen," Odair announced. "All riders to your stations."

"Good-luck," Gale replied as he began heading towards Everdeen's ZL1 Camaro.

Peeta watched as his collateral approached him with a sardonic smirk, and already Peeta knew this was going to be a long night.

"I'm sorry about this," Peeta responded, for he felt the need to apologize for putting her in this current predicament.

"I'm not," Johanna answered back while putting her hair up in a ponytail. "She's going to win."

"You seem very confident about that," Peeta observed as his co-rider shrugged.

"In this town you'll quickly learn to pick and choose your battles. Everyone knows you never battle it out with Everdeen, and walk away unharmed," Johanna stated. "She's a fighter."

"I see," Peeta replied as his eyes caught sight of the slender female rider that continued to captivate him.

"So… you're new in town?" Johanna asked even though she wasn't one for chitchat, but she felt oddly bad for the newbie.

It was never easy racing down the bluff, especially when you have a large portion of the District students watching.

"Yeah, we just moved about five months ago from Chicago," Peeta answered as they entered the car.

"How do you like our little slice of heaven?" she asked curiously with sarcasm dripping in her voice.

"Its small…" was all Peeta could say hoping that was a good enough answer as he adjusted his mirrors.

Peeta looked over and saw as Katniss was getting into her vehicle that was located three cars down from his _borrowed_ automobile.

She was currently chatting with the tall boy Odair had been talking with, and if memory served, he was said to be her stepbrother. The tall boy seemed to be giving Katniss some last minute advice before heading away from the car.

Katniss sat comfortably inside her car slowly adjusting the rearview mirrors waiting for Odair to give his final instructions.

Katniss observed Gale reaching over to turn on the radio, but she quickly smacked his hand way from the power button.

"Ouch!" Gale shouted as he retracted his hand. "What the hell, Everdeen?"

"Hands off the radio…the last thing I need is for you to play some damn boy-band in my car," She firmly stated under her breath.

"Whatever," Gale muttered as he looked out the window.

"So…what's your friend's name?" Katniss asked nonchalantly motioning towards Peeta's car.

"Why do you care?" Gale asked as he looked over at Katniss. "He's not the type that falls for trouble, Everdeen."

"Is that what I am?" Katniss asked as she smirked to her passenger who was now rolling his eyes.

"You really are a pain in the ass," Gale replied knowing that the last thing he wanted was to piss off Everdeen, for everyone knew to tread lightly when dealing with her in general.

"I just simply wanted to know the name of the guy who is going to be seeing nothing but my license plate and backlights as I ride pass him," Katniss answered as she gripped the steering wheel. "It's only polite, Hawthorne."

"His name is Peeta," Gale finally replied to the driver after a quick pause.

"Peeta," Katniss repeated as she let the name pass through her lips.

Katniss liked the way it rolled out of her tongue. It was at that moment that the gray-eyed girl looked over to the left hand side where she could see a worried expression on Peeta's face.

Katniss then slowly reached into her back pocket in order to retrieve her cell phone.

"Who are you calling at this time?" Gale asked a bit perplexed that his driver was about to make a call a few minutes before a race.

"None of your concern, and if you're going to ride in here the least you can do is pop in a breath mint," Katniss replied as she dialed Jo's number.

"Bitch," Gale muttered under his breath, but knew she clearly heard him.

"Asshole," Katniss shot back to Gale with equal distain.

Johanna was quietly sitting in the passenger side of the car when she heard her phone ring. She knew that ring tone very well soon answering the phone before the third ring.

"How may I help you?" she greeted while looking over to where her best friend was situated.

"Put him on the phone," Katniss replied in a stern voice to her friend.

"Who?" Jo asked in a joking manner.

"Who do you think, Jo?" Katniss responded.

Johanna removed the phone from her ear and handed it to Peeta.

"You're in for a treat," Jo warned Peeta as the boy looked at the phone as if it was radioactive, but held it to his ear.

"Hello," Peeta replied into the receiver.

"If something happens to her while she's in your care... I won't hesitate to run your ass down with this car. Do I make my self clear?" Katniss replied in an oddly calm tone.

Peeta was a bit taken back by the comment that was thrown his way, but before he could respond Katniss had already ended the call.

"Well, that was bracing," Peeta commented as he handed the cell phone back to Johanna. "Is she always like this?"

"She's very protective of her friends, but she only threated your life…so she must like," Johanna replied as she placed her phone back in her bag.

Finnick began making his way to the front of the cars.

"_Start Your Engines_!"

Peeta, at that very moment, could clearly hear the roar of the crowd on outside along with the rumbling of the engines from the cars around him as they waited to take off.

Peeta focused on the road that was ahead of him. He might have been roped into this, but for some reason he felt as though he could do this...he was going to do this.

"You okay?" Johanna asked as she held onto the door handle. "You look really pale."

"Ask me when this is all over," Peeta replied back as he placed one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the shifter.

Peeta looked to his side to get one last look at Katniss before all hell broke loose.

He could clearly see that Katniss was fully focused on the task at hand, and radiated even more confidence behind the wheel of the car.

Peeta didn't know what to do when he saw her tear her eyes from the road to his general direction.

Peeta's first initial response was to look away, but for the life of him couldn't. He watched as Katniss's cold gray eyes penetrated right through him once again.

The feeling was unnerving and Peeta then realized Katniss was actually daring him to look away, but, in a way, Katniss somehow knew Peeta wouldn't.

Peeta then noticed that Odair had been calling out some quick instructions. Before he could compute what was happening he noticed Katniss giving him a quick wink before turning her glaze back onto the dirt road ahead.

1...

_Shit_

2...

_Double Shit_

3..._Here We_ _Go!_

TBC…

* * *

Hi Everyone, well this the first time I write for this pairing and fandom so I hope you all like it. I wrote a draft of this story a long time ago, but my friend recently encouraged me to make it into an Everlark fic.

Again, I hope you all like it so far and let me know if I should continue!

Thanks a bunch;-) W


	2. Chapter 2

**Title**: Tell Me That You're Mine (Chapter 2)

**Pairing**: Eventually Katniss/ Peeta

**Minor Characters**: Gale, Johanna, Finnick, Cato, Thresh, Glimmer and Marvel (Some other characters might show up unexpectedly)

**R****ated: R **for language and sexual content

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Hunger Games series, or any of the characters that belong to Suzanne Collins. I do not own rights to any songs that might be listed within the story and I also do not make any profit from this story.

_(I also currently do not have a beta, so I apologize for any grammatical errors you might fine)_

**Summary:** (AU: Everlark) Peeta Mellark just wanted to survive his Senior year, but after being coerced into a racing competition against a rival school he knew his life would never be the same…especially when he's up against the infamous, Katniss Everdeen. (Language/sexual content)

(Side Note: Katniss and Peeta have never met before)

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_"You okay?" Johanna asked as she held onto the door handle. "You look really pale."_

_"Ask me when this is all over," Peeta replied back as he placed one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the shifter._

_Peeta looked to his side to get one last look at Katniss before all hell broke loose. _

_He could clearly see that Katniss was fully focused on the task at hand, and radiated even more confidence behind the wheel of the car. _

_Peeta didn't know what to do when he saw her tear her eyes from the road to his general direction. _

_Peeta's first initial response was to look away, but for the life of him couldn't. He watched as Katniss's cold gray eyes penetrated right through him once again. _

_The feeling was unnerving and Peeta then realized Katniss was actually daring him to look away, but, in a way, Katniss somehow knew Peeta wouldn't. _

_Peeta then noticed that Odair had been calling out some quick instructions. Before he could compute what was happening he noticed Katniss giving him a quick wink before turning her glaze back onto the dirt road ahead._

_1..._

_Shit_

_2..._

_Double Shit_

_3...Here We __Go!_

* * *

_**Continued…**_

Peeta's father, Colonel Mellark, had once told him that whenever he went into combat he would put himself instantly on autopilot.

Colonel Meelark stated, that in order to complete certain operations one had to put all of their fears and doubts aside.

Individuals, within certain predicaments, couldn't let themselves feel anything because it could, potentially, cost them everything.

Peeta had never understood his father's logic…_until now_, as he rapidly shifted gears while on a darkly lit dirt road. His opponents' continued maneuvering, within close proximity to him, but for the time being Peeta was a few yards away from them.

Peeta had been trying to outrun the rider from District 6 since they left the start point, but with each passing second the rider seemed to be gaining on him. He didn't know where exactly Everdeen was hiding, but he could only imagine that she wasn't too far behind.

Everything seemed to be blurring into the background as they drove through the quiet backstreets of Lancaster. The empty fields were silent with only the roaring of engines in the distance.

The adrenaline coursing through Peeta made him aware that he was in full control of his vehicle, and that the only person, who could bring him down, in that moment, was himself.

Peeta started allowing his body to respond to the formulated plan he had quickly generated while attempting to set his reservations aside.

Peeta swiftly shifted gears as they were rapidly approaching a sharp corner near the city limits.

They all had been racing for a couple of minutes, and already he was noticing that other riders were sit nowhere in sight. He assumed that the other, District 10, rider was only a few yards ahead of him.

Peeta's main goal was to make it to the finish line in one piece. While Peeta up-shifted he began hearing his father telling him exactly what to do.

He heard his father explaining that the lower gears provide for much greater acceleration because of the combination of gears and higher engine speeds. Peeta had to agree that being the son of a Colonel had its perks when you're learning to drive.

It was getting to be a bit too much to handle as their car began entering the edge of the city. He promptly observed one of the riders, from District 4, had fallen behind and the second rider from District 2 was riding close to his tail.

Peeta took in the road ahead, and soon noticed that the road was becoming quite populated with people.

It wasn't until they were about to reach the main road, leading into Lancaster, that Peeta noticed Katniss's Camaro speeding right passed them. Peeta had to give the girl credit, for she was something else on the open road, but just before Peeta could process his next move he watched as Everdeen's car abruptly made a sharp detour to the left.

"Where the hell is she going?" Peeta asked out loud, not really addressing anyone in particular, as he shifted gears.

"I don't know, but this doesn't look good," Johanna replied, with puzzlement, while turning her confused stare in order to view a few cars that were closely behind them. "Something is definitely up."

Peeta then spotted another District 4 driver riding past them, but watched with shock as the vehicle lost control leading them onto semi-busy sidewalk.

"Christ!" Peeta shouted, as they rode passed the out of commission riders of District 4. "What should we do?"

"Keep driving," Johanna, insisted motioning to the road ahead. "Now is not the time to be a _Good Samaritan_."

Peeta realized they were already on Panem Avenue heading towards the next point when he heard sirens closely behind them in the distance.

_"Fuck Me_!" Peeta muttered under is breath knowing that he needed to continue driving at full speed, but feared there was no way to outrun this.

* * *

**Meanwhile...**

"What the hell is happening?" Gale shouted, from his seat, as he looked to the side mirror. "Why are you veering away from the course?"

"I'm just making an impromptu detour," Katniss replied calmly as she shifted gears, while turning the vehicle back towards the bluff.

"Care to share?" Gale asked with a perplexed look on his stubble face.

"They are all headed towards a speed trap," Katniss stated, without any emotion in her tone, for she was trying to figure out her next course of action. "If Odair had done his research properly he would have seen the little red flags that advise you that you are heading into a hot spot where Lancaster's finest like to lurk.

"How do you know this?"

"Marvel mentioned the route before we left, but he failed to mention that it would be leading us straight to Panem Avenue," Katniss replied hastily using one hand to reach for her cell phone. "I didn't notice the speed trap until a few seconds ago when I saw District 3 ahead of us."

Once she was able to successfully retrieve the device she threw it towards Gale's general direction.

"What the fuck?" Gale shouted since the cellphone hit him directly in the face. "Enough with the abuse, Everdeen."

"Search through my contacts," Katniss instructed, swiftly racing through the congested streets of Lancaster. "Find Johanna's number."

Gale refused to quarrel with concentrated driver beside him. He began anxiously searching through the list of contacts until he came across Mason's number. Gale dialed the phone number listed until he was greeted with a somewhat panicked Johanna on the other line.

"I'm officially not having fun here, Kat," Johanna shouted from the opposite line.

"Put her on speaker," Katniss instructed, her passenger, while turning lanes within the busy street lanes.

Gale hastily pressed the speaker key on IPhone, and placed the device in between them for better listening quality.

"Jo, put your phone on speaker," Katniss called steadily maneuvering past another car in her lane.

Katniss could hear her friend mumbling obscenities on the other line, for she was sure Jo was not having any bit of this freaking mess. Katniss waited until she could hear both of them on the other line clearly.

"What's happening on your end?" Katniss asked calmly.

"We are pretty much in deep shit right about now," Peeta stated in a rushed tone.

"So, I'm guessing you went right through the speed trap," Katniss replied while taking a quick glance to her rearview mirror.

"I think we might actually have a cop not too far behind us," Peeta stated with a bit of alarm in his soft voice.

Katniss knew that this wasn't the time for distractions, but she found herself liking the sound of the new kids voice.

"Where are you now?" Katniss responded quickly trying to devise a quick strategy.

"We just passed Meyer's Street, and we are now headed east," Peeta responded back with static breaking up their chatter.

Peeta was trying to stay composed, but the sirens continued to gain closer to them even though he could see them from his mirror.

"Alright, I'm heading your way," Katniss replied knowing exactly what needed to be done. "Jo, direct him to Lander's Field by the old refinery. I'll be there to get you both."

"What about the car?" Peeta asked.

"It's the car or spending quality time in the local Sheriffs department," Katniss stated, as if it was obvious the choice that needed to be made. "Odair is the least of your worries here."

"Fine," Peeta finally stated as he nodded to Johanna. "Where do I go?"

"Excellent choice," Johanna retorted with a standard dose of sarcasm in her voice. Johanna hung up her phone, and pointed towards the next street intersection. "Turn there, and speed it up."

It took them about five minutes to reach the old abandoned refinery. Once they arrived Peeta shut off the car engine, for fear that the cops would find them before Katniss arrived.

Johanna continued looking out of the window to make sure that they weren't being followed, but shortly they saw bright headlights headed in their direction.

"Shit," Peeta groaned in defeat as he rubbed his face with both hands. "Ft Mills military school here I come."

"Wait...its Katniss's car," Johanna stated with relief when she saw the Camaro coming into view. "Let's go."

Without further delay both, Johanna and Peeta, ran out of the car towards the approaching vehicle.

"Jump to the back!" Katniss shouted to her collateral passenger, as she motioned to the backseat.

At that point, Gale was overly drained from everything that occurring. Rather than argue Gale followed his instructions since they were short on time.

Johanna opened the door and jumped to the backseat where Gale was already buckling up his seatbelt. Peeta was closely behind, turning to take one last glimpse of the Nissan that he was leaving behind in the old abandon field.

Peeta rushed into the front passenger seat of the Camaro, and before he closed the door he could have sworn that he saw a small smirk forming Katniss's face.

Once Peeta shut his door, Katniss sped out of the empty lot. They were just in the nick of time, for the cop sirens could be heard from a short distance away. Peeta held onto the door handle as Katniss zipped through the tight turns within the dark road without breaking a single drop of sweat.

Katniss appeared, very much, in control behind the wheel of her car, and looked as though she was silently devising her next countermove. Peeta couldn't entirely place it, but there was something very sensual about the way Katniss was guiding the vehicle.

Peeta shifted his gaze back onto the dark road when he noted that Katniss had just turned off her headlights.

"Are you insane, Everdeen?" Gale called out from the backseat, since they were currently riding without any lights to guide them. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

Katniss refused to answer Gale since she needed to focus her attention in the task at hand.

They continued to drive with the moonlight being the only source of light directing their path. Peeta knew that he had been stealing glances at the slender driver, but couldn't help himself as his eyes gazed over at Everdeen's unflawed silhouette. Peeta didn't know if it was a combination of his adrenaline or the transcendent moonlight shining upon them, but he couldn't deny the way Katniss's gray eyes seemed to shine brightly. He found himself never wanting to take his eyes off of her.

"Can you even see?" Peeta curiously asked, knowing it must be hard to maneuver a vehicle, at that speed, in total darkness.

"Please, I know these back roads better than anyone in this town," Katniss answered back sporting a genuine smirked as she turned her head slightly to the side in order to, once again, wink at Peeta. "Don't look so scared."

Peeta was too distracted by Everdeen's presence that he almost didn't notice the small light in the distance, and the fact that they were heading towards it.

Peeta sighted an old diner on the side of the road. There weren't many cars in the parking lot when Katniss immediately drove into the nearest space.

"Everyone Out!" Katniss stated firmly as she turned off the engine, and opened the car door. "Jo, you know the drill."

All four teens ran into the diner with only a few patrons occupying the space within. Peeta was currently wondering if someone was going to let him in on whatever was happening.

"Where's the fire?" Sae, the evening waitress, had called out from behind the counter.

"Four of your specials, Sae," Katniss quickly responded as they all rushed to the booth located in the back of the old style diner.

"Katniss Everdeen!" Sae stated in a somewhat reprimanding tone, for she knew about Katniss's reckless streak when it involved automobile racing. "How many times do I have to tell you that this is a diner, and not a damn hide-out joint?"

Sae was too busy filing up a few glasses of soda to really give the young girl a stern lecture.

"I'm sorry, Sae," Katniss replied with sincerity in her tone, and Peeta quickly took note that this was the first time Katniss wasn't so self-assured. Katniss took a seat next to Johanna while Peeta joined Gale on the opposite side of the long booth.

"Please, tell me that this has nothing to do with the two car pileup that has everyone on edge in town," The older server stated as she placed the sodas down on the table. "You racing again, Kid?"

Katniss couldn't bring herself to lie to the older hostess, for she truly hated letting the older woman down. Katniss, instead of responding, simply began sipping her soda.

"This racing business will be the death of you," Sae stated, firmly while holding up her index finger to the young girl.

Sae decided to place their orders in before all hell broke loose in her fine establishment.

"Thanks, Sae," Katniss called out over her shoulder to the older attendee.

The teens watched as the hostess began barking instructions to the cook in the back, so he could begin preparing four new orders.

"We didn't order these sodas?" Gale responded with confusing, knowing that there was a hidden strategy that Everdeen was clearly failing to mention.

"Relax," Jo finally rejoined after a short pause within the group. "Sae, is going to be our savior here."

Peeta cautiously turned his head to the side window, and soon noticed a police vehicle parking outside of the diner.

"Shit," Peeta uttered under his unsteady breath slowly motioning to the officer that was now getting out of his car.

"Don't worry about it," Katniss stated, with a reassuring tone, as she looked directly into Peeta's dark blue eyes with a calm expression. "Just…_trust me_."

Peeta felt his heart pumping, but this time it wasn't because of the approaching officer. Peeta felt his heart beating right out of his chest because of the girl that was sitting across from him.

"_That face is going to get me into a lot of trouble_," Peeta thought to himself, but decided to place his trust into Everdeen's hands. Peeta had his reservations when it came to people, but for some unknown reason he felt at ease with this strange girl.

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

Office Crane was just passing through to his next perimeter check, and decided to make a quick stop at Greasy Sae's Diner for a decent cup of coffee.

The moment he entered the diner he took note of the group of teens sitting in the back booth. Before getting out of his car he had heard, through dispatch, that there were several cars spotted racing through town. All marked police vehicles were directed to take action if the opportunity presented itself, but to Seneca Crane this was just another Friday evening in _lovely_ Lancaster, Ohio.

"Yep, another Friday night," Seneca Crane mumbled under his breath as he approached the brightly lit diner. "Evening, Sae."

"Seneca, what can I get you?" Sae greeted from behind the counter.

"A coffee to-go," He answered back while covertly keeping a close eye on the table in the back. "Thanks."

Seneca wasn't oblivious to the unlawful activities that teens engaged in while they were in high school. He remembered what it was like being young, but he couldn't deny that these underground activities were becoming increasingly volatile for all parties involved. His boss was really pushing for arrests to be made when it came to these District riders, but with every single stride they made…these riders would find new tactical ways to outsmart them.

Seneca causally began making his way towards the suspiciously discreet booth in the back.

"Evening," Seneca greeted nonchalantly approaching the group.

"Officer Crane," Johanna replied in a mockingly sweet tone that made Gale want to bust out into a nervous laughing fit. "Working hard or hardly working?"

"What are you all up to this evening?" Crane casually asked as he ignored Johanna's snarky comment.

"We are just grabbing a quick bite," Katniss replied as she sipped her soda coolly. She decided in that brief moment to look towards Peeta, who seemed to be avoiding any eye contact.

"Have you all been here long?" Crane asked in a suspicious manner.

"A while," Gale answered finally looking towards the officer standing in front of them.

"Seneca, leave these kids alone. They've been here for at least an hour," Sae replied smoothly as she placed their _special_ orders on the table making it seem as though they had been there for quite sometime.

Officer Crane was still skeptical about these teens, but decided to pay for his coffee and head towards town.

Seneca was strolling towards the exit, but before he left he stopped to address one of the teens.

"Before I forget," Crane called out while opening the glass door. "Katniss, your father is over at Bakers Field, and he wanted me to tell you that he might be home late."

"What else is new?" Katniss muttered, to no one in particular, as she continued to chew on a french-fry.

Gale and Peeta watched carefully as the Officer waved good-bye to the hostess before finally leaving the establishment.

"Your father is a cop?" Peeta blurted out, to Katniss in a somewhat shocked tone. Peeta never would have guessed that an experienced rider, like Katniss, would play so close with fire when she was residing in the same house as _Big Brother_.

"He's actually the Sheriff," Katniss stated in a matter of fact tone with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Peeta could clearly tell that she wasn't to keen on discussing her family situation openly with others. "Welcome to Lancaster...we are all just full of surprises."

"You owe me, Everdeen," Sae stated while placing a few refills on the table. "If your father finds out that I've made it a habit of assisting his daughter in delinquent activities… I'll be the one behind bars."

"Thanks again, Sae," Gale answered, genuinely, as he began chewing on his burger. "You too, Everdeen."

"Yeah... thanks for coming to getting us," Peeta finally replied. He tore his eyes away from the countertop in order to look across the table to see Everdeen's reaction to his comment. "I owe you one."

"No problem," Katniss softly replied while staring at Peeta's strong facial features with an amused look. She quickly took note that Mellark's comment was one of actual gratitude and not resentment. Many riders truly resented her for her proficiency and dedication when it came to competing, but this boy didn't seem to carry any bitterness towards her for assisting him.

"You don't owe me anything," Katniss said while trying to hide the smile that was slowly working its way onto her lips.

Peeta couldn't help but feel as if his insides were on fire by the mere look Katniss was giving him...it was full of unadulterated inquisitiveness.

Peeta began to wonder if either Gale or Johanna had noticed the silent exchange that was occurring between him and Everdeen, but it seemed as though the other two were deep in conversation.

Peeta was about to speak when he felt Katniss's slender hand graze over his knee under the table.

Peeta nervously knocked over the salt and peppershakers that were located next to him because of the electric feeling that passed through him from Katniss's simple touch.

"Dude...you okay?" Gale asked as he took note of Peeta's complexion becoming slightly flushed. "Why are you sweating?"

"I'm fine," Peeta stated waving off the weird looks that both, Johanna and Gale, were giving him. Peeta refused to glance across the table since he could clearly tell that Katniss was sporting a sinister grin.

"Yeah... you okay?" Katniss asked as she tilted her head to the side, reveling in the way a unpretentious touch could push the blue-eyed boy over the edge.

"I'm fine," Peeta repeated, once again, even though he knew they weren't buying his response. "I just need to use the bathroom."

Peeta found himself suddenly jumping over Gale in order to reach the nearest restroom.

"When you gotta go...you gotta go," Gale replied watching his friend sprint down to the restroom.

* * *

**Bathroom**

"Get it together, Mellark," Peeta mumbled, to himself, as he began splashing cold water on his face.

He kept splashing water on his face wishing that he could somehow cool down, and get the feeling of Katniss's intense stare out of his damn mind.

He was wiping his face, with a paper towel, when he opened the stall door only to find Katniss leaning up against the main sink.

"_Christ_," Peeta thought to himself silently, for he was finally able to see Katniss in a better light. He was able to see the way a few strands of hair that fell from her loose braid as it lightly touched her cheek. Peeta noted the way her eyes mesmerized him, and in a way drew him in…for a brief moment he forgot that they were in a rundown diner bathroom.

"Hi," Katniss softly responded with a timid smile, for she knew that his expression gave everything that was running through his mind. "You ran off so quickly…I just wanted to make sure you were _fine_."

"I' am…I just need to…_um_-wash my hands," Peeta lamely stated as he threw away the used paper towel in his hands.

Katniss watched Peeta carefully before she uttered her next words.

"Do I frighten you, Peeta?" Katniss asked in a low voice.

"What?" Peeta asked not knowing where this question had come from.

"_Do… I… Frighten… You_?" Katniss repeated while emphasizing each word clearly.

"Why would you say something like that?" Peeta asked deciding to answer her question with another question.

"I tend to frighten most people," She responded back frankly since she knew there was no reason to lie to the boy standing in front of her. "Johanna says I make people uncomfortable, so I won't take it personal if I frighten you."

"No, you don't frighten me," Peeta answered back in a low tone, for he realized that being alone with Katniss was truly becoming problematic because every inch of him wanted to reach out and touch her.

"You're friend, Gale, thinks I'm trouble," Katniss replied as she inched closer towards the other boy.

"I usually tend to draw out my own conclusions," Peeta responded as he licked his dry lips. "But, for the record, you don't look like trouble to me."

"You might have the wrong idea about me," Katniss answered with a slight shrug. "You're theory might change, and soon coincide with what everyone else in this town thinks."

"I've been in plenty of small towns long enough to know that _the talk_ of the town is usually just talk," Peeta replied not fully registering that his hand was actually tucking back one of Katniss's loose hair strands. "I want to thank you for what you did for_ me_."

"You already thanked me," Katniss responded, realizing the close proximity they were currently in, as Peeta's hand was lightly touching her face. "Maybe I can take you for a ride sometime…show you bits of this town that are rarely overrun with District riders."

Katniss looked directly into Peeta's eyes seeing such tenderness that lay before her.

Katniss could clearly tell that his boy was different from most people, and for some odd reason that scarred her. She felt unhinged by the way he was looking right at her. Peeta wasn't viewing her with discontentment or disapproval like most people. Mellark was actually looking at her as if she was the most beautiful thing he had seen in quite sometime.

"Are you always this forward with people?" Peeta joked.

"Surprising…No," Katniss whispered as she noticed him removing his hand from where it had been closely touching her loose strand of hair. "I'm not very with people."

"You seem to be doing just fine to me," Peeta replied as he noticed the way Katniss's eyes looked away from slight embarrassment.

Peeta couldn't bring him self to respond to the Everdeen's candid comment. He was beginning to think that this was going to be a common accuracy, for whenever he was in the presence of this fascinating girl he became speechless.

The silence continued to linger between them. Peeta was about to finally speak up when Katniss abruptly cut him off.

"I should let you finish up in here," Katniss stated while trying to hide the disappointment in her tone. "I guess I'll be seeing you, Mellark."

"Will I?" Peeta asked curiously. "Be seeing you again, I mean."

"It's a small town. I'm sure our paths will cross again," Katniss responded as she opened the restroom door. "Bye."

Peeta found himself finally exhaling the moment the door closed behind Katniss, leaving Peeta with his uncontrollably thoughts.

He tried figuring out what had just transpired in such a short amount of time. The only conclusion he kept coming to was the attraction he felt when Everdeen was in sight.

The way she held herself with such blazing confidence made him find her presence utterly intoxicating. He also couldn't shake the hidden vulnerability and saddness that lay within her gray eyes. These factors about the female rider fascinated him to the point that he knew he would be certainly counting down until their next meeting.

Peeta walked out of the bathroom only to see Gale sitting in the booth by himself.

"Did she leave already?" Peeta asked as he sat where Johanna had been situated earlier.

"Yeah, Everdeen said that she had to head back, and make sure Marvel got away safely," Gale explained as he continued to chew on few remaining fries. "She paid for everything, and said that she would take care of your _borrowed_ car."

"You okay?" Gale asked since he noticed the clear look of disappointment on his friends face.

"I'm actually not sure," Peeta responded trying not to let the feelings of dissatisfaction wash over him since Katniss had left so abruptly. "What's her story?"

"Who?" Gale asked curiously with a raised eyebrow. "Johanna's? She's not as crazy as she looks…she just has this unhealthy obsession with breaking things."

"No, I'm talking about Everdeen," Peeta stated, as he shook his head before his friend continued to ramble off the subject.

"Word of advice, Pete," Gale stated cautiously to his friend. "Be careful with her…she's a walking paradox."

"She doesn't seem like that," Peeta replied. "She seems-"

"Capricious," Gale responded as he cut off Peeta's words before he could finish his sentence. "This is a girl that plays with fire on a daily basis. You know, very well, what happens to those who play closely with fire…they burn until there's nothing but ash."

Peeta silently took in his friend's words of advice not knowing what to say.

Peeta was the type of person to always tread on the side of cautious, but a part of him couldn't get those hauntingly beautiful eyes out of his mind.

Peeta understood that in this situation he had to choose between what was expected of him, and what he really wanted...and in that moment the only thought that entered his mind was of Katniss Everdeen.

_There was no way around it…_

Peeta couldn't decipherer whether there was logic to what he was feeling, or if it was all just some sweet illusion.

One thing was certain and that was his need to see _her_ again…

TBC…

* * *

_Hi Everyone, I'm so glad that many of you are eager to see what happens next. We will be diving into more of the characters background within the next chapter. I hope you'll all let me know your thoughts so far. _

_Thanks a bunch of the great feedback!_

_Tons of Hugs and Happy Holidays-W_


	3. Chapter 3

**Title**: Tell Me That You're Mine

**Pairing**: Eventually Katniss/ Peeta

**Minor Characters**: Gale, Johanna, Finnick, Cato, Thresh, Glimmer and Marvel (Some other characters might show up unexpectedly)

**R****ated: R **for language and sexual content

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Hunger Games series, or any of the characters that belong to Suzanne Collins. I do not own rights to any songs that might be listed within the story and I also do not make any profit from this story.

_(I also currently do not have a beta, so I apologize for any grammatical errors you might fine)_

**Summary:** (AU: Everlark) Peeta Mellark just wanted to survive his Senior year, but after being coerced into a racing competition against a rival school he knew his life would never be the same…especially when he's up against the infamous, Katniss Everdeen. (Language/sexual content)

(Side Note: _Katniss and Peeta have never met before_)

* * *

**Chapter 3**

_"Did she leave already?" Peeta asked as he sat where Johanna had been situated earlier._

"_Yeah, Everdeen said that she had to head back, and make sure Marvel got away safely," Gale explained as he continued to chew on few remaining fries. "She paid for everything, and said that she would take care of your borrowed car." _

_"You okay?" Gale asked since he noticed the clear look of disappointment on his friends face._

_"I'm actually not sure," Peeta responded trying not to let the feelings of dissatisfaction wash over him since Katniss had left so abruptly. "What's her story?"_

"_Who?" Gale asked curiously with a raised eyebrow. "Johanna's? She's not as crazy as she looks…she just has this unhealthy obsession with breaking things."_

"_No, I'm talking about Everdeen," Peeta stated, as he shook his head before his friend continued to ramble off the subject._

"_Word of advice, Pete," Gale stated cautiously to his friend. "Be careful with her…she's a walking paradox."_

"_She doesn't seem like that," Peeta replied. "She seems-"_

"_Capricious," Gale responded as he cut off Peeta's words before he could finish his sentence. "This is a girl that plays with fire on a daily basis. You know, very well, what happens to those who play closely with fire…they burn until there's nothing but ash."_

_Peeta silently took in his friend's words of advice not knowing what to say._

_Peeta was the type of person to always tread on the side of cautious, but a part of him couldn't get those hauntingly beautiful eyes out of his mind. _

_Peeta understood that in this situation he had to choose between what was expected of him, and what he really wanted...and in that moment the only thought that entered his mind was of Katniss Everdeen._

_There was no way around it…_

_Peeta couldn't decipherer whether there was logic to what he was feeling or if it was all just some sweet illusion. _

_One thing was certain and that was his need to see her again…_

* * *

_**Continued…**_

**Cartwright Bakery **

It had been three long days since the Friday night competition, and Peeta still couldn't stop thinking about Katniss Everdeen.

Throughout the weekend he tried getting the audacious rider out of his mind, but it was of no use.

Peeta didn't even have the energy to argue with his dad about his lawn-mowing chores on Sunday, which earned him an odd look from his younger sister, Hannah.

Peeta had reluctantly taken Gale's advice, and kept his distance from Everdeen.

Katniss was, indeed, right about there being constant talk about her all through the small town. Peeta would hear her name discussed in certain circles, and the outlandish conversations were usually just ridiculous gossip.

Peeta even heard someone in the hallway, by his AP Geometry class; state that it was Katniss who had notified the Sheriff's department about the illegal race last Friday.

The idea of Katniss being an enforcer for the Sheriff's unit seemed utterly outrageous, but in a way he felt a certain pang of anger. Katniss was the _only_ reason he got away that night.

She risked her own safety and freedom in order to help him, and it wasn't like she really knew him. She merely put herself out there for the newbie of District 10…a debt he knew she would never collect.

_This was the talk she had been talking about that night at Sae's Diner…_

These outlandish words from her peers were her reality, and Peeta was beginning to believe that after a while these words start to cut deep.

Peeta continued to replay the conversation he had with Katniss at Greasy Sae's Diner in his cluttered mind. He could still hear Katniss diffidently asking him if she frightened him, and, _in truth_, she did.

_She was everything he wasn't. _

Katniss Everdeen was confident, bold and intriguing.

Peeta was still deep in thought when Aiden Cartwright, the owner of the bakery, broke him out his troublesome reflections.

"Is there a reason you're burning the bread?" Aiden Cartwright inquired since the older man realized that his newest employee was stuck in a daydream.

"What?" Peeta mumbled, in a puzzled manner, when he turned his gaze over to the oven where the new batch of bread was a deep charcoal color. "Crap, I'm sorry Mr. Cartwright."

Aiden Cartwright, was in his early seventies, and had been the owner of the local bakery for over forty years.

Peeta found out while working a late shift that Aiden's granddaughter, Delly, went to school with Katniss at Capital High.

"It's not a problem," Aiden waved off the younger man's comment as he began to remove the burnt bread from the furnace. "Whenever I use to burn the hell out of something it meant that my mind was somewhere else. You've been distant lately, Peeta."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that too," Peeta acknowledged, in a lower tone, for he couldn't deny that his mind had been preoccupied with thoughts of a certain gray-eyed girl. "I've just had a lot on my mind lately."

"I find that talking usually helps me sort through the mess in my head," The grey haired man added with a genuine smile. "The wife likes to tune me out when I begin ranting about something, but I find that letting the words out usually does the trick."

"It's kind of complicated," Peeta answered lamely, since he knew that there was no other way of starting this conversation.

"Woman usually are," Aiden responded with a heartfelt laugh. "What's her name?"

"Why do you think this about a girl?" Peeta asked with a inquisitive shrug.

"I had the same expression on my face when I had girl trouble," Aiden explained while using the rolling pin for the next dough batch. "Let me guess, this girl doesn't know you exist."

"No, she does," Peeta, answered while sitting down on the stool near the prep station.

"She is already in a relationship."

"No, I don't think so," Peeta replied while wiping his hands on the wet rag next to him. "She's…She's like the most incredible girl I've ever met. We've only spent a few brief moments together, but I feel like we connected…and that's usually hard for me because I don't let people in."

"So, what's the problem?" Aiden requested, in a perplexed manner, since it seemed as though Peeta's issues could easily be fixed by just asking this mystery girl out. "Does she have an over protective parent?"

"I'm not sure either," Peeta answered, _frankly_, since he honestly didn't know much about Katniss's home life. "People say that she's quite difficult."

"Difficult, huh?" Aiden repeated as he poured a bit of flour onto the dough. "What do you think?"

"I…I can't stop thinking about her," Peeta whispered while looking down to his dust covered shoes.

"Would you like an older man's point view on your current situation, Peeta?" Aiden inquired, politely, while delicately rolling the balled up dough on the counter.

"Sure."

"I knew my wife was trouble the very first moment I laid eyes on her," The older man replied with a nostalgic smile forming on his thin lips. "She blew through my soul like a twister, and, do you know what?"

"What?" Peeta asked taking in the gray haired man's tale.

"I _like_ trouble," Aiden responded with another genuine grin. "You just need to figure out, early in life, what you are willing to fight for…and I usually believe that a girl is always worth a good fight."

"Katniss," Peeta finally whispered out loud. He wondered if his boss had heard him clearly when he confessed the name of the girl who he had been plaguing his daydreams. "Her name is Katniss."

"The Sheriff's daughter," Aiden stated with a nod. "She's a bit rough around the edges, but she genuinely a good kid."

"She's seems to be the main subject of conversation in many circles in this town," Peeta stated bitterly since he hated hearing her name in such a negative light.

"People are afraid of what they don't understand," Aiden answered the younger man knowing that he probably didn't know all about the young girls difficult past.

"What's there to understand?"

"Let's just say, she had it rough," Aiden explained the best way he knew how. "Katniss Everdeen, has been through a hell of a lot…more than most. It must be hard falling apart with no one there to help pick up the pieces."

"What about her family?" Peeta asked the older man, but a part of him felt as though he shouldn't pry into Everdeen's past without her consent. "Her father's the Sheriff, right?"

"Haymitch Abernathy is _not_ her biological father," Aiden answered finally looking up to meet Peeta's blue eyes. "Her father died when she was just a baby, and her mother later remarried when Katniss was about six years old. Haymitch has been raising her ever since-_well_…it's a long and complicated story."

Peeta realized that the information he was given was just the mere surface of Katniss's past, but it gave him a little insight.

"My advice to you is never look before you leap," Aiden stated with a confident all knowing tone.

"Don't you mean, always _look_ before you leap?" Peeta asked with a small chuckle escaping his lips.

"No, I meant what I said because if you _look_ before you leap you'll be too scarred to even jump," Cartwright explained with a small glimmer in his soulful eyes. Mr. Cartwright gradually began making his way out of the kitchen. "Life is about diving into the unknown, and taking risky leaps of faith. The question here is, are you willing to allow yourself to fully fall for her?"

Peeta sat there quietly taking in Mr. Cartwright's words of wisdom. He was left alone with his occupied thoughts, and the only thing that made much sense to him was an overwhelming feeling to see Katniss.

He wanted to take that leap of faith because he felt that Katniss Everdeen was, _indeed_, worth the risk.

* * *

**Odair & Son's Auto-Repair Shop**

"Is it time to go yet?" Finnick barked over his shoulder, but still kept his eyes focused on the repair he and Katniss had been working on all evening.

"You're treading on thin ice, Finn," Roger Odair, Finnick's father, hollered from his office. "You still have to change the oil on the Mustang."

"The man hates me," Finnick stated in a not-so-low tone to his friend.

"What do you expect when you steal his customers cars for a quick adrenaline fix," Katniss responded with a smirk.

Katniss, at the moment, was assisting Finn in replacing a new part on an old Dodge Charger.

She started working, part-time, at the Odair restoration shop when she was only a freshman in high school.

Katniss tried being out of the house, as much as possible, and would occasionally pick up extra shifts at the shop. It sounded strange to most people when she would say that the auto-shop was like her home, for it was the only place that brought her some sense of balance.

Working at the garage kept her out of trouble, and it gave her the focus she needed when things were chaotic. Katniss sometimes wished that life could be like repairing a car, for every single issue usually had a simple solution.

"Looks like you have a visitor," Odair reported, casually motioning to the garage entryway.

Katniss turned her gaze from the worn out engine to see her stepbrother making his way towards her with a small brown bag in his hands.

"Hey," Marvel greeted with a nod while handing Katniss the brown bag. "Brought you some leftovers."

"Thanks," Katniss answered back as she reached for the bag with her non-grease hand.

Since their parent's wedding, several years ago, the two fell into a comfortable brother-sister relationship. Marvel was never one to go with the crowd, for he usually walked to the beat of his own drum.

There were times when he could be selfish and unkind, but when it came to Katniss he never would allow anyone to hurt his stepsister.

"You didn't have to come all this way to bring me food," Katniss responded while wiping her hands on a semi-clean cloth.

"It's really not that big of a deal, Kat," Marvel answered, with a shrug, as he played with a wrench that was located on of the work stations near the Dodge she had been working on.

"Hey! Sticky-Fingers," Finnick stated, with an annoyed tone, while turning his gaze over to a confused Marvel. "Can you refrain from playing with my tools? Some of us need to finish working here."

"What's up his ass?" Marvel whispered over to Katniss she guided him over to an empty table by the exit door.

"He's still pissed about the race last Friday," She answered while retrieving the leftovers that were in the brown bag.

"Mom, _I mean Effie_, wanted to make sure that you ate properly," Marvel replied motioning to the meal his mother had prepared for Katniss. "She wasn't happy that you've been eating take-out from Greasy Sae's Diner for the past two nights."

"What about Haymitch? Does he care if I eat?" Katniss stated in a disconnected tone that Marvel knew far too well.

"Come on, Kat," Marvel stated, knowing that both, Haymitch and Katniss, have been at odds with each other for a few years now.

Since Marvel could remember Katniss and Haymitch had always had a somewhat rocky relationship, but he knew that they both had to deal with a lot from the fallout that occurred when Katniss was younger.

"I wasn't caught," Katniss hissed to her stepbrother knowing that she shouldn't raise her voice to him, for he was only trying to mend the situation.

"He's not stupid, Kat," Marvel responded, in a low tone, while pushing the salad Tupperware towards the angry girl. "What did Mr. Odair say about the cars that were…_taken_?"

"Finn and I were able to bring back most of them in one piece," Katniss whispered gazing towards her superiors office door that was now closed. "That idiot Graham Dennison, from East Lancaster, was driving the only car we couldn't salvage. Finn was able to play it off like someone broke into the shop and stole it."

"When are you going to stop all of this?" Marvel asked with an obvious tone of trepidation in his voice. "Racing is not the answer to your problems."

"I can take care of myself, Marvel," Katniss replied turning her attention back to the well-packed meal in front of her.

Leave it to her stepmother, Effie Trinket, to pack a three-course meal in one tiny bag.

"I wanted also stop by to see if you were coming to my game tomorrow night?" Marvel asked with a small smile, for he knew now was the time to change the uncomfortable subject.

"I don't know," Katniss spoke up with a mouth full of lettuce. "I'm scheduled to close the shop for Darius tomorrow."

"Find someone else to cover for you," Marvel replied gesturing to the other mechanics that were around them. "The guys are saying that the right guard for East Lancaster is a machine."

"Does this machine have a name?" Katniss smirked while continuing to eat her prepared meal, and also finding it utterly hilarious when Marvel whined like a four-year.

"Hawthorne," Marvel answered, as he opened the brown bag that he recently brought to see if his mother had packet any dessert. "Your collateral passenger."

Katniss stopped chewing when she heard her brother talking about the upcoming game against District 10.

Katniss was presently taking in the information her stepbrother had just delivered. If Marvel was playing against East Lancaster High, with Gale Hawthorne present, the odds of seeing Peeta Mellark were highly in her favor.

Katniss would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about the broad shouldered boy, and the private conversation they shared in that rundown diner bathroom.

Although, every inch of her was telling her to stay away she knew she would regret not going.

"I'll see if Andrew can cover for me," Katniss finally spoke up since Marvel had been complaining for the last five minutes.

"Awesome," Marvel exclaimed with a goofy lopsided smile. "So…do you think Haymitch would object to us having a party afterwards?"

"Don't push your luck," Katniss answered while snatching a piece of her food from Marvel's grasp. "Now, if you'll excuse me this Charger needs my undivided attention."

"Alright, see you at home," Marvel remarked as he whipped his hands on his jeans before finally heading out. "Later, Odair."

"Bite me," Finn stated with his signature "eat shit" grin.

Katniss watched as her stepbrother made his way out of the repair shop, and she couldn't help but let Marvel's previous words sink in.

Marvel was one of very few words, but, at times, those few words made perfect sense.

Katniss didn't know if she could actually stop racing, for it was as if it was etched into her DNA…racing was a part of her.

When she first began racing it was to make her father notice her obvious pain. Racing, now, wasn't about being noticed, for it was about feeling something..._feeling alive_.

Katniss knew that she put herself at risk each time she sat behind the wheel of a car, but she never once thought about backing down.

Katniss understood that her luck would eventually run out, but she hoped it would be in the distant future.

_TBC_…

* * *

_Hi Everyone, I'm sorry for the lack of Everlark interaction in this chapter, but I do promise to deliver next time. Please, let me know what you think so far, and I hope you'll enjoy what's to come. _

_I have a few twist and turns up my sleeve (wicked smiles)._

_Sending off tons of love-W_


	4. Chapter 4

**Title**: Tell Me That You're Mine

**Pairing**: Eventually Katniss/ Peeta

**Minor Characters**: Gale, Johanna, Finnick, Cato, Thresh, Glimmer and Marvel (Some other characters might show up unexpectedly)

**R****ated: R **for language and sexual content

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Hunger Games series, or any of the characters that belong to Suzanne Collins. I do not own rights to any songs that might be listed within the story and I also do not make any profit from this story.

(I also currently do not have a beta, so I apologize for any grammatical errors you might fine)

***_Also the song playing during the party scene is Tear You Apart by She Wants Revenge_***

**Summary:** (AU: Everlark) Peeta Mellark just wanted to survive his Senior year, but after being coerced into a racing competition against a rival school he knew his life would never be the same…especially when he's up against the infamous, Katniss Everdeen. (Language/sexual content)

(Side Note: Katniss and Peeta have never met before)

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_Although, every inch of her was telling her to stay away she knew she would regret not going._

_"I'll see if Andrew can cover for me," Katniss finally spoke up since Marvel had been complaining for the last five minutes. _

_"Awesome," Marvel exclaimed with a goofy lopsided smile. "So…do you think Haymitch would object to us having a party afterwards?"_

_"Don't push your luck," Katniss answered while snatching a piece of her food from Marvel's grasp. "Now, if you'll excuse me this Charger needs my undivided attention."_

_"Alright, see you at home," Marvel remarked as he whipped his hands on his jeans before finally heading out. "Later, Odair."_

"_Bite me," Finn stated with his signature "eat shit" grin._

_Katniss watched as her stepbrother made his way out of the repair shop, and she couldn't help but let Marvel's previous words sink in. _

_Marvel was one of very few words, but, at times, those few words made perfect sense. _

_Katniss didn't know if she could actually stop racing, for it was as if it was etched into her DNA…racing was a part of her. _

_When she first began racing it was to make her father notice her obvious pain. Racing, now, wasn't about being noticed, for it was about feeling something...feeling alive. _

_Katniss knew that she put herself at risk each time she sat behind the wheel of a car, but she never once thought about backing down. _

_Katniss understood that her luck would eventually run out, but she hoped it would be in the distant future._

* * *

**Continued…**

**Capital High**

**Titans vs. Wildcats**

Peeta was never one for football games or school spirit, but there he was feeling like a fool in the middle of a crowd of cheering teens. Gale physically had to drag him out of the house, earlier that evening, and into a cool bleacher.

It was a very close game, but the Capital High Titans continued their undefeated streak.

The score ended with the East Lancaster Wildcats losing by twenty points.

Peeta couldn't deny that he was extremely nervous before the game even started. They had arrived at Capital High hours before, and Peeta couldn't help but wonder if he would bump into Katniss.

While sitting on the cold bench, alone, during the quarters Peeta would casually scan the stands to see if he would find the pair of piercing gray eyes that have been plaguing him for days.

Peeta knew that Katniss wasn't just another face in the crowd, but to no avail he couldn't find her in the sea of rubber foam hands and cheering signs.

"Good game," Peeta stated as he padded Gale's back when he saw his friend leaving the locker room.

"Thanks," Gale responded back with a sad smile, for Hawthorne was still upset about their recent loss. "I think number 32 might have given me whiplash, but I do have some good news."

"Really? What's that?" Peeta inquired, while they were heading towards the busy parking lot.

"You remember your collateral passenger, Johanna Mason," Gale asked nonchalantly placing both of his hands inside his letterman jacket.

"Yeah, I do," Peeta stated, wondering where this conversation was going. "Why?"

"She kind of mentioned a District 12 party that was taking place tonight at Trinket's house," Gale announced with an unreadable expression on his tired face.

"Trinket? The Running-Back for Capital High?" Peeta asked, a bit confused why his friend was eager to attend. "Wouldn't you be technically party crashing?"

"No, she kind of extended an invitation," Gale stated, with a shrug, for he didn't want to make a big deal out of his sporadic conversation with Johanna Mason.

Gale, in the past, had only spoken with Jo a hand full of times, but since the race last week they had been talking periodically during the week. Gale found Johanna to be quite intriguing, _especially_ when she wasn't wheeling an axe around for recreational purposes.

"Okay, I'm waiting for the part that's going to cheer _me_ up here," Peeta replied, shoving his hands deep in his coat pockets.

"I'm getting there," Gale stated while rolling his hazel his eyes in a comical manner. "You're coming with me."

"I'll pass," Peeta answered back, for he didn't really feel like being around people.

"Come on, Pete," Gale whined. "I'll be your best friend."

"What are you ten years old?" Peeta added, with a chuckle, since he was starting to realize that his friend must really like Johanna if he was acting this way.

"I'm sure that there will be beer there," Gale chimed in anticipating that alcohol would seal the deal for his friend.

"Great! Last week it was underground racing, and tonight it's underage drinking," Peeta sarcastically stated to his friend. "For a small town you all know how to keep things very interesting."

"I need a wingman here, Pete," Gale finally confessed with a plea. "_Please_."

Peeta looked at his friend, and realized that he really needed his support.

"_Fine_," Peeta groaned, noticing the amusing expression his friend was sporting because of his final response. "If tonight ends up like it the night of the race then we need to seriously quit hanging out together."

"_Deal_," Gale agreed ultimately entering his car ready for the District 12 bash.

* * *

**Trinket-Abernathy Residence**

_"Got a big plan, his mind's set, maybe it's right_

_at the right place and right time maybe tonight_

_In a whisper or handshake sending a sign_

_Wanna make out and kiss hard, wait never mind"..._

Peeta had been at the District 12 party for roughly thirty minutes, and already was bored out of his mind.

The combination of both beer and loud music would usually seem like a recipe for enjoyment, but, _somehow_, Peeta felt truly out of place there. He was in a secluded corner of the house, with an almost empty cup of beer in his hand, when he noticed a photograph on the fireplace mantel.

Peeta froze when he spotted a familiar pair of gray eyes in what looked like an old family portrait.

Peeta couldn't believe that he had completely forgotten that Marvel Trinket was Katniss's stepbrother.

Peeta's thoughts were whirling by the second when his eyes landed on a familiar face. Katniss was located on the other side of the room with her stepbrother at her side. Marvel looked as if he was trying to explain something of importance to his sister, but she seemed relatively uninterested.

Katniss was going into the next room when her eyes slowly landed on Peeta alone in the corner.

_"It's only just a crush, it'll go away_

_It's just like all the others it'll go away_

_Or maybe this is danger and you just don't know_

_You pray it all away but it continues to grow..."_

Peeta always believed those movies where time faded away, and all that mattered were the two main characters, locked in a moment, was a load of crap…but that's the only way to describe this very second.

The instant Katniss's eyes locked with his everything ceased to exist. Peeta knew that there were people all around, but he couldn't bring himself to see any of them because Katniss was the only person of importance.

Katniss left her brother in mid-sentence, and was making her way across the crowded room.

_"And they talked and looked away a lot, doing the dance_

_Her hand brushed up against his, she left it there_

_Told him how she felt and then they locked in a stare"_

"Hi," Katniss greeted coolly through the loud music that was blasting in the background.

"Hey," Peeta responded back as he looked up from his almost empty cup of beer.

"Having a good time?" Katniss asked while nonchalantly sipping her soda offhandedly.

Peeta was trying to not show how nervous he was, or how pleased he was to see her again.

"Not really," Peeta honestly responded, while taking in the way Everdeen's hair fell around her perfectly shaped face. "I'm suppose to be Gale's wingman tonight, but he seems to be doing fine with Johanna somewhere."

"Yeah, I saw them both talking by the keg earlier," Katniss answered, while looking over to the living room that was converted into a small dance area.

Katniss knew that Effie would go insane if she saw all the guests jumping around her new sofa.

_"They took a step back, thought about it, what should they do_

_Cause there's always repercussions when you're dating in school"_

"_So_…" Peeta stated lamely, as his eyes traveled down Katniss's neckline.

His thoughts immediately went to the night of the race, and about the very moment his eyes landed on the girl in front of him. There was so much beauty within this trouble-seeking girl.

Peeta knew, without a single doubt, that he had never met anyone like Katniss…and there was a part of him that also knew he would never meet someone like her again.

Katniss unconcernedly walked over to where Peeta awkwardly stood, so that they were standing side by side.

_"But their lips met, and reservations started to pass_

_Whether this was just an evening or a thing that would last..."_

"It was a good game," Katniss replied looking back onto the crowded room full of people that were indifferent towards her, but the only person she was interested in was standing right beside her. "I don't think I have ever seen East Lancaster _almost_ win a game before."

"I think…there was a compliment in there somewhere," Peeta added, with a chuckle, trying not to show his nervousness around Everdeen. "Football was never my thing."

"So, what is your thing?" Katniss inquired, with general interest, as she coolly sipped her drink.

"When I have spare time I tend to sketch," Peeta explained, while scanning the room of teens that were having a relatively good time. "While growing up on the base you need to find an outlet, so you won't die of boredom."

"Base?"

"Yeah, military bases," Peeta, replied, looking over so he could clearly see Katniss. "My dad is a Colonel in the army. What about you?"

"What about me?" Katniss asked, tearing her eyes away from the party that was unfolding in front of them.

"Well, I know that you can handle your own on the open road, and that you have great taste in cars," Peeta began explaining with a smile forming on his lips because of the way Katniss's eyes began shimmering. "…Other than that I don't know much else about you."

"Maybe…that's best," Katniss responded, in a somewhat serious tone, while avoiding eye contact with the boy standing next to her.

"Come on," Peeta stated, with a grin still on his face. "You're not even going to tell me your favorite color."

"That's too private," She replied, with a matching grin. "You want to get out of here?"

_"Either way he wanted her and this was bad_

_Wanted to do things to her it was making him crazy_

_Now a little crush turned into a like..."_

"And go where?" Peeta asked tentatively since it seemed as if all the air in his lungs had spontaneously left him.

"Somewhere…_anywhere_," Katniss answered, as her intense gray eyes turned to meet Peeta. "Somewhere quiet."

"_Alright_," Peeta whispered, in agreement knowing that this could be a very dangerous game they were both playing.

_"I want to hold you close_

_Skin pressed against me tight_

_...So lovely, it feels so right"_

"In about ten minutes head up those stairs, and go into the third room on the left," Katniss instructed, as she walked away to where some of the kids were currently dancing.

Peeta watched when Katniss disappeared into the throng of people.

Peeta drank the last bit of his drink, and waited for about nine minutes before making his way up the stairs. He casually looked over his shoulder to make sure that no one spotted him, but everyone seemed to busy having fun to even notice.

Peeta knocked before he entered the room, which he thought was ridiculous since he already knew exactly who would be on the other side of the door.

Peeta entered the dark room shortly detecting that no one was in the room.

Peeta stood in the middle of the bedroom taking in the various posters on the wall. It seemed as if Katniss shared the same musical taste as him.

He also noticed that the room had an extensive collection of old albums, and vintage books.

Peeta walked over to the night side where a small picture frame rested on top. The picture looked old and worn out, but the images were still clear. The picture was of a younger Katniss playing with a woman on a sandy beach. Peeta saw the carefree expression in Katniss's eyes, for she looked as though she didn't have a care in the world.

"That was taken a couple years ago on Sanibel Island," Katniss stated from where she was leaning up against the doorframe, while gazing over at Peeta.

"Is this your mom?" Peeta asked pointing to the picture within his slender hands.

"It is," Katniss responded, in a cold tone, closing the door behind while never veering her eyes away from Peeta.

"She's very pretty...you kind of look like her," Peeta added, placing the picture back on the nightstand.

Katniss didn't reply to Peeta's comment, but continued to glance over at him with an unreadable expression.

"Do you get along with her?" Peeta asked, knowing that his hands were sweating profusely, for he was itching to touch the girl that was standing by the door.

"She took off when I was ten," Katniss stated hoping that they would drop the subject at hand, and move on.

"Sorry," Peeta responded, with sincerity that took Katniss a bit by surprise.

Katniss walked over to her bed, and lowered herself until she was sitting on the edge with her soda in hand.

"How about you?" Do you get along with your parents?" Katniss asked, trying to take the focus away from her noncustodial parent.

"My family really consists of just my father and sister. My mom died when I was six," Peeta explained as he continued to stand away from Katniss.

Katniss looked up from her half empty cup, and began observing the broad shouldered boy. Katniss took note of Peeta's uneasy expression, for the boy looked tense as hell.

"You can relax," Katniss insisted, sipping the last of her soda. "Contrary to popular belief, I'm not as bad as people make me out to be."

"You don't scare me," Peeta stated, finally meeting Katniss's cold stare.

"Really? Because you've been staring at my door like its a damn life-saver for the last five minutes," Katniss responded, in a icy tone, for she hated the way he had been so uneasy around her when they were alone in her bedroom.

"If you didn't want to be in the same room with me then why are you even here?" Katniss answered, while standing up as if challenging Peeta to answer.

Katniss _was_ right, for he _was_ scared.

Peeta was scared about what he was feeling whenever he was in a close proximity to Katniss Everdeen. Peeta was also scared of what wanting Katniss would bring, for he didn't want to cause any further complications to her life.

Peeta lifted himself from where he was positioned near Katniss's window, and unhurriedly began making his way to the door. Before turning the doorknob Peeta looked over at Katniss who was still standing by her bed closely watching him.

Then without further pause Peeta stepped out of Katniss's room, and closed the door behind him.

Peeta leaned his back up against Katniss's bedroom door soon releasing the breath he had been holding tight.

Peeta stood outside of Katniss's bedroom for a few seconds wiling himself to leave...but then something inside of him just clicked.

Peeta couldn't hear the noise from below, or the laughter down the hall…all he could hear were Mr. Cartwright's words of wisdom swimming in his head.

"_Never look before you leap, kid."_

Peeta abruptly turned around and re-entered Katniss's bedroom.

Katniss quickly looked up from where she had been standing by her bed surprised by Peeta's sudden return. Peeta stood tentatively by the closed door never veering his gaze away from the gray-eyed girl.

Peeta crossed over, and without further pause captured Katniss's lips with his own.

Katniss immediately responded to the kiss as she willingly wrapped her hands around Peeta's neck.

Peeta held Katniss close to his body until they both fell onto Katniss's bed. Peeta detached himself from Katniss lips, so his lips could travel down Katniss's slender neck, leaving behind tender kisses on her skin.

Katniss covered her mouth over Peeta's to help suppress the slight moans that were escaping from his lips. Katniss cradled Peeta's head within her small hands as she savored the taste of his lips.

Katniss gazed into Peeta's blue eyes trying to see if maybe she was imagining this moment, and that Peeta hadn't reappeared just moments ago…but after a few passing seconds he was still with her.

"Hi," Katniss whispered, as she looked up towards Peeta.

"Hey," Peeta anxiously mumbled, in a low tone, while placing one hand on Katniss's cheek.

"Why did you come back?" She asked breathlessly.

"You know why," Peeta whispered, back with a slight twinkle in his eyes.

"I know...but I'd still like to here you say it," Katniss replied, still cradling Peeta within her arms as he laid beside her.

"I lied before...You do scare me," Peeta responded, noticing the concern look written in Katniss's soft face. "I'm scared because I _want_ you...I want you so much. I've never wanted anyone the way I want you right now, and that scares me."

Peeta brought his hand closer to Katniss's cheek until his thumb was able to touch her swollen lips. Katniss leaned into Peeta's touch, and closed her eyes as he felt Peeta's finger tracing the bottom of her lip.

Peeta was leaning down to capture Katniss's lips, once more, when a loud ruckus, originating from downstairs, could be heard from where they were located.

"What the hell was that?" Peeta asked, trying to regain focus since he was still dizzy from their kisses.

"I don't know," Katniss tentatively responded, slipping out of where she had been laying with Peeta, so she could inspect what was going on downstairs.

There were a couple of teens that were rushing out of the hallway, and a few were too afraid to go downstairs.

"By the looks of it… I think my dad might be home early," Katniss responded, without any concern in her tone.

"Shit," Peeta gulped from his position on the comfortable bed. "I'm so freaking dead."

"Don't worry," Katniss stated, while quietly closing her door. "Where did you park?"

"Down the street," Peeta responded, slowly rising up from the bed.

"Come with me," Katniss insisted, while grabbing her jacket from the bed. "We'll go out the window, so you won't get caught."

Katniss opened carefully opened her window, and swiftly slipped onto the little ledge.

"Trust me," She smirked when she noticed the worried look on Peeta's face.

Katniss then grabbed a hold of the tree branch that was situated next to her windowsill.

Peeta watched as Katniss used the tree as a ladder, and skillfully made her way further down until her slender feet hit the ground.

Katniss was then patiently waiting for Peeta to begin his descent. Peeta took a deep breath, and tried to mimic Katniss's previous moves. It wasn't until he was climbing down that he accidentally slipped from the last branch, and fell onto the pavement.

Katniss rushed over to where Peeta was sprawled out on the floor, and once she realized he was all right she couldn't help but giggle.

"You okay?" Katniss asked, while leaning over Peeta's fallen body still trying to contain her own laughter.

"I'm fine, but my ass is another story," Peeta replied, while looking up towards Katniss's composed expression.

"You'll be fine," Katniss reported, with a grin, as her fingers delicately caressed Peeta's ashy blonde hair.

Peeta then noticed that Katniss's smile soon faded when she saw someone closely approaching them. Peeta then recognized the figure that was making their way over to them with a not-so- pleased look upon their face.

"Hi Dad," Katniss greeted, with a tight smile, when she saw her father standing only a few feet away from them.

"Say goodnight to your..._friend_," Haymitch stated, while looking at his daughter who was leaning over a boy on the floor. "When you are done I would like a word with you and your brother."

Haymitch then gave Peeta one last look before heading into the house.

"Are you in trouble?" Peeta asked, in a worried tone, as he looked over at Katniss.

"Don't worry so much about me," Katniss responded with a smirk. "Some might say you might have at thing for me."

Katniss carefully stood up, and held her hand out in order to help Peeta back up. Peeta took the slender hands that were offered to him, and was brought up to his feet.

Katniss reluctantly turned around ready for a long lecture, and was about to head into the house when she heard Peeta's voice.

"_Katniss-_"

"Yeah," Katniss whispered, as she turned to face Peeta.

"I want to see you again," Peeta stated confidently.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Katniss answered back, while tilting her head to the side.

"Probably not, but I still want to," Peeta added stepping closer to Katniss.

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into," Katniss whispered, watching Peeta standing dangerously closer to her. She couldn't help but want to lean in for a chaste kiss.

"Do you?" Peeta smirked, still feeling the taste of Katniss on his lips.

"I work part-time at Odair's auto-shop," Katniss answered with a nod and a smile. "The shop is close to Capital High."

"_Oh_... and before I forget," Katniss whispered over to Peeta, but before she could utter another word she leaned in and tenderly kissed Peeta.

Peeta placed both his hands upon her cheeks revealing in the warmth of her skin under his touch. Katniss slowly released Peeta, but continued to rest her forehead upon his. She couldn't quite understand this tide wave that was taking over her, but for the first time in a long while…she was optimistic, and she knew it was because of the boy in her arms.

"Don't be a stranger."

"I won't," Peeta whispered, feeling Katniss reluctantly slipping out of his arms. "Promise."

When Peeta opened his eyes Katniss was already entering her front door, but just before she disappeared through the entrance she glance back at him.

"_Yeah...that face will definitely be my downfall_," Peeta thought to himself, but for the life of him couldn't bring himself to even care.

**TBC**...

* * *

_Hi Everyone! I truly hope you have enjoyed this Everlark interaction, and I'm trying to finish up the next chapter soon. I'm pretty sure that you are all wondering about Katniss's past, but we are slowly working our way to all of these skeletons, lol._

_Hugs-W_


	5. Chapter 5

**Title**: Tell Me That You're Mine

**Pairing**: Eventually Katniss/ Peeta

**Minor Characters**: Gale, Johanna, Finnick, Cato, Thresh, Glimmer and Marvel (Some other characters might show up unexpectedly)

**R****ated: R **for language and sexual content

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Hunger Games series, or any of the characters that belong to Suzanne Collins. I do not own rights to any songs that might be listed within the story and I also do not make any profit from this story. I also do not own the rights to the Beatles.

_(I also currently do not have a beta, so I apologize for any grammatical errors you might fine)_

**Summary:** (AU: Everlark) Peeta Mellark just wanted to survive his Senior year, but after being coerced into a racing competition against a rival school he knew his life would never be the same…especially when he's up against the infamous, Katniss Everdeen. (Language/sexual content)

(Side Note: Katniss and Peeta have never met before)

* * *

**Chap****ter 5**

_"Katniss-"_

_"Yeah," Katniss responded back as she turned to face the ashy blonde haired boy._

_"I want to see you again," Peeta replied confidently._

_"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Katniss answered back as she tilted his head to the side._

_"Probably not, but I still want to," Peeta replied as he stepped closer to Katniss._

_"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into," Katniss whispered as she watched Peeta standing dangerously closer to her. She couldn't help but want to lean in for a kiss._

_"Do you?" Peeta asked with a smile of his own._

_"I work part-time at Odair's auto-shop. It's close to Capital High," Katniss replied with a nod. _

_"Oh... and before I forget," Katniss whispered to Peeta, and just before she could uttered another word she leaned in and kissed Peeta tenderly. Peeta placed both his hands upon her cheeks revealing in the warmth of her skin. Katniss slowly released Peeta, but continued to rest her forehead upon his. She couldn't quite understand this tide wave that was taking over her, but for the first time in a long while…she was optimistic, and she knew it was because of the boy in her arms. "Don't be a stranger."_

"_Promise," Peeta whispered feeling Katniss reluctantly slipping out of his arms. _

_When Peeta opened his eyes Katniss was already entering her front door, but just before she disappeared through the entrance she glance back at him. _

_"Yeah...that face will definitely be my downfall," Peeta thought to himself, but for the life of him couldn't bring himself to even care._

* * *

_**Continued…**_

**Odair & Son's Auto Shop**

"_This must be the place_," Peeta thought, to himself, as he viewed the bright neon sign above him.

It had been _3 days, 8 hours and 23 minutes_…since he last saw Katniss Everdeen.

It's not that he didn't want to see her; _on the contrary_, she was all he could think about.

She pretty much occupied his every active-waking thought.

Peeta understood that from the moment he woke up to the minute he went to bed the image of Katniss would enter his wandering daydreams.

The passing days for him consisted of juggling his AP classes, studying, and working long hours at the bakery. Peeta also had to deal with his pain in the ass father, which left him trying to find the time to just simply breathe.

Tonight was different, for Peeta had already told his dad that he was going to the movies and would be back later on.

His sister, Hannah, tried tagging along, but Peeta played it off like it was to be a guys night out.

Peeta was currently sitting outside of the repair shop hoping and praying that Katniss was working tonight. He, _eventually_, gathered enough courage to make his way out of his father's Honda Civic.

Peeta noted that the auto-shops parking lot was completely empty, and the only light on came from the garage window around the back.

Peeta slowly walked around to the back of the shop, soon noticing an open door leading to the garage entrance. While stepping through the entryway he saw Katniss in perfect view.

She was leaning over an open hood of, what looked like, an old 1971 Pontiac Trans-Am.

Katniss was too lost in her own thoughts to even notice Peeta by the entryway. It wasn't until she was reaching for an adjustable wrench that she was able to see the broad-shouldered boy standing by the door looking back at her.

Katniss tried her very best to not smile at Peeta, but in the end she gave in.

Katniss had assumed that since she hadn't seen Peeta, in a couple of days, that she had completely scared him off. Katniss would never admit, _out loud_, that she was actually happy to see the blue-eyed boy.

"When I didn't hear from you, I just presumed that your family packed up and moved away to another town," Katniss joked, with an unreadable smirk on her soft lips.

"No, I wanted to come and see you, _but_-"

"You really don't have to explain anything to me, Peeta," Katniss stated, nonchalantly while returning to work on the old Trans-Am.

"Where is everyone?" Peeta inquired, motioning to the lack of people within the shop.

"The shop closes early on Thursdays, but I'm usually here after hours," Katniss explained while continuing to tighten one of the loose bolts.

"Do you like working here?" Peeta asked, knowing that he probably sounded like a complete imbecile at the moment, but he couldn't help himself whenever he was around the dark haired girl.

"No, I just spend most of my days here because I like to get dirty, and there's nothing else to do in this town," Katniss sarcastically stated with a tight smirk, but she quickly observed that Peeta truly wanted to have a conversation with her. Katniss then decided to play nice. "I love it here..._actually_."

"That's good. This place seems a lot cooler than the bakery," Peeta stated while looking around the cluttered shop. Peeta's gaze trailed over the different workstations, and also spotted a few older model vehicles. "Did you get in trouble the other night?"

"Finnick and Marvel were able to sneak the keg out the back door, so it could have been a lot worse," Katniss explained, with a shrug, for her father wasn't thrilled when he came home the night of the impromptu party. "I think he was just mad because he wanted to come home and have a few drinks, but found his house overrun by hormonal teenagers. Both, Marvel and I, have along list of errands to accomplish."

"Sorry about that," Peeta replied sympathetically, sitting down near the vehicle Katniss was working on.

"Yeah, _well_…I'm only suppose to be either at home, school or here," Katniss explained, while wiping away the sweat from her forehead. She really needed to talk with Finnick's dad, Roger, about fixing the busted AC unit because the heat was becoming quite unbearable.

"Does your dad know about you…racing?" Peeta casually inquired, as he took in Katniss's adorable disheveled appearance. Her _usually_ neatly braided hair was a bit of a mess, and there were streaks of dirt on her face but she still looked like the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

Katniss Everdeen was the only girl he knew that could pull off a pair of old-worn out jeans, and a grease stained t-shirt.

"How about I ask you a few questions?" Katniss insisted, looking towards Peeta with self-assurance inside her gray-eyes.

"O-okay," Peeta gulped, for Katniss was looking at him with the same certainty of the night they shared their first kiss.

Peeta would be dishonest if he said he hadn't thought about Katniss's lips touching him, and, it was those tender thoughts, that made him want to kiss her until their lips were sore.

"Do you know anything about auto-mechanics?" Katniss asked, wiping her hands on the old rag that was inside her back pocket.

"Um..._yeah_- some," Peeta responded curiously.

While stationed at a military base in Virginia, three years ago, Peeta's father had taken time out of his hectic schedule in order to go over proper vehicle maintenance with him. Peeta could recall enjoying his fathers company then because after his father's promotion he rarely spent time with him anymore.

"Okay, pass me that #7 wrench," Katniss stated, pointing to the table next to Peeta with all the tools proper laying out.

Peeta retrieved the said item, and passed it over to Katniss in total silence. When Peeta placed the wrench in Katniss's hand he could feel her soft fingers lightly caressing his hand.

"Thanks," Katniss responded with an undeniable smile. "Is your dad expecting you back soon?"

"_No_- not for another couple of hours," Peeta answered, wondering what she had in mind.

"Then take off that nice sweater, and come help me fix this carburetor," Katniss beamed, finally locating the problem in the vehicle.

"I wouldn't know what to do," Peeta stuttered, in a worried tone, for he was concerned that he might actually screw something up.

Fixing a car really wasn't like baking a cake.

"It's okay…_I'll teach you_," Katniss laughed to the worrisome boy. Katniss couldn't help but enjoy the company of the muscular boy in front of her. "Hold the camshaft clamp in place, while I remove the loose bolt."

They worked in a comfortable silence for a lengthy period of time. Katniss would casually explain what needed to be done to the damaged car part, and would periodically ask Peeta to pass her the appropriate tools needed for each task.

Katniss would, sometimes, accidentally brush her hands over Peeta's, while trying to wipe the dirt and grim from the camshaft.

Peeta, nonchalantly, gazed over at Katniss wondering if she was doing it on purpose, but refused to even mention it. Peeta just decided to just brush it off even though he felt his temperature rising with each delicate caress of her slender fingers.

Peeta, at some point, began looking directly at Katniss as she started re-inserting the missing piece into the car. Katniss was too busy trying to finish the task at hand, but she could feel his eyes focused on her.

"What?" Katniss inquired as her eyes finally met Peeta's.

They were huddled close together, since they were working in such a tight space.

"Nothing, " Peeta whispered, quickly taking note that he was, indeed, flushed. "It's just that…this is the first time since I moved here that I'm actually having fun."

"You looked like you were having fun that time we were make-out in my bedroom," Katniss smirked, rubbing away some oil that had fallen onto her hands.

"Yeah, that was…_alright_," Peeta chuckled, trying to keep a straight-faced since Katniss was raising a stern eyebrow his way.

Katniss gazed over at Peeta with a somewhat of an annoyed expression.

"_Alright_?"

"Yeah, I've had better," Peeta teased, knowing that he just wanted to get under Katniss's..._skin_.

"I highly doubt that," Katniss confidently laughed as she went over to her toolbox.

Katniss began dropping her gear into her toolbox when she looked over to the right side of the garage, and glanced at a huge mound that was currently being covered by a dark tarp.

Katniss had earlier contemplated showing Peeta the contents of what was underneath the tarp, but soon made up her mind.

"Do you have to head home soon?" Katniss inquired, looking over to see Peeta cleaning his hands at the wash station by main office.

"No," Peeta answered back, shaking his head along with his response.

"I want you to meet someone," Katniss replied, motioning Peeta over to the other side of the room where the tarp was located.

Peeta walked over, soon standing near Katniss with a look of inquisitiveness written on his face. Katniss reached over, and rapidly pulled the tarp off to reveal a dusty 1977 Chevy Camaro.

The crimson color was a bit faded, but it still looked incredible. The inside of the Camaro seemed like it required a lot of work, but Peeta could see the beauty of it.

"Wow," Peeta marveled, running his hands along the worn out paint job. "This is amazing."

"Peeta, I'd like for you to meet my work in progress, _Lucy Diamond_," Katniss beamed, for this was the first time she had shown someone, other than Marvel, her most prized possession.

"Is this your car?" Peeta asked, finally meeting Katniss tender gaze.

"Yeah, I'm still fixing her up," Katniss explained, while looking over at the old rusty model car. "She definitely needs some work, but I think she'll be able to run again…maybe better than before."

"Where did you find her?"

"It belonged to somebody I once knew," Katniss whispered, in a low tone, for she truly wasn't expecting that question to come up.

"Was this someone you were seeing?" Peeta found himself blurting out. He knew that it sounded like he was jealous, and quite frankly the thought of Katniss being with someone else did hit a nerve.

"What? You mean like an old boyfriend?" Katniss stated, noticing the tone of jealously that was mingling within Peeta's voice.

"Um- _yeah_."

"No, it didn't belong to an old boyfriend," Katniss added, while opening the car door. Katniss then lifted the back seat, and made her way inside without further hesitation. "Do you want to come inside?"

Peeta nodded swiftly getting into the backseat of the old muscle car.

Peeta immediately observed that the car had character, and it seemed to be something that Katniss held in such high regard.

Peeta felt a pinch of satisfaction coursing through him because Katniss was actually letting him into her private world.

"So…do the citizens of Lancaster usually name their cars?" Peeta inquired, trying to make levy of the situation, for a part of him felt his heartbeat increase from being in a tight-private space with Katniss.

"It gives the car personality," Katniss shrugged, never really giving it much thought.

"Why did you name this car _Lucy Diamond_?" Peeta curiously asked, knowing that he was probably rambling right about now.

"You ask a lot of questions, Mellark," Katniss stated, while turning to face the boy next to her.

"I just want to get to know you," Peeta answered honestly, turning his gaze to his hands. "_That's all."_

"Okay," Katniss spoke up, for she found she couldn't quite argue with Peeta.

For years, it seemed, as though everyone in Lancaster knew about her family situation, and privacy seemed to be a luxury she wasn't able to afford. Peeta didn't really know about her past or her family, so it was only natural that he wanted a bit of insight into her crazy existence.

"I'll answer three more questions, and you better make them count."

"Will you tell the truth?" Peeta asked in challenging tone, liking the idea of this unusual game.

"I will," Katniss, responded as she gazed into Peeta's dark blue eyes. "I promise."

"Does your dad know you race from time to time?" Peeta asked flat out, and without hesitation.

Katniss took a few seconds before answering Peeta's question, for it wasn't so simple as one may think.

"Haymitch has always had his suspicions about me racing underground. He's never actually caught me, and I've never actually told him," Katniss began explaining in a distant tone. "I started participating in these races to prove to this town that I wasn't someone to take lightly, for as you know this is a small town filled with citizens who gossip just to pass time. I'm actually glad Haymitch married Effie, so he could have Marvel for an ordinary stepchild," Katniss answered in a low tone knowing that she had never openly said those things out loud. "Next question."

"Who was the owner of this car before you got it?" Peeta asked quietly.

He knew that these were probably intrusive questions, but Peeta wasn't the type to ask simple questions like, _what's your zodiac sign?_

Peeta wanted to get down to Katniss's very core even if her core was an obscure place.

"_Lucy_ belonged to..._my mother_," Katniss replied after a tense pause on her part. Peeta was definitely not expecting that type of answer, but continued to remain silent.

"Layla, that's my mom name, was a huge Beatles fan. She would sing to me when I was a baby. _Blackbird_ and _Lucy in the Sky_ were her favorite songs," Katniss explained, with a somewhat nostalgic sad smile on his lips. "This old car is all I have left of her...she use to race before I was born, and even when I was a toddler. Haymitch gave her an ultimatum...she had to either stop racing or leave. _So_…by the looks of it you can tell which road she selected."

Katniss remained quiet for a few minutes letting her eyes wander to the window. She didn't want to show signs of weakness in front of Peeta, but the topic of her wayward mother always left her a bid distraught.

"Last question," Katniss replied, as she still kept her eyes away from Peeta.

"How about I save the third question for another time," Peeta answered, while placing his hand upon Katniss's slender palm.

"Can I say something?" Katniss asked, in an unsteady tone, for she was still a bit guarded around him.

"Sure," Peeta responded, knowing that it was only fair for Katniss to ask him questions, since she opened up to him just moments ago.

"Tell me secret," Katniss inquired with a glint of humor on her face.

"A secret?"

"_Yeah_, I told you some of mine..._now_ it's your turn," Kurt stated as she continued to hold Peeta's hand with hers. "Tell me something that no one else knows."

"Um- _okay_," Peeta mumbled, as he tired to form a clear sentence in his head right way, so that he wouldn't scare Katniss away. "I double knot my shoes."

"_Seriously_…that's your big secret," Katniss giggled.

"It's quite embarrassing," Peeta replied, giving Katniss a mockingly hurt expression.

"Tell me something else," Katniss stated, as she nudged his shoulder with her own. "Something real."

"Alright," Peeta responded, taking a deep breath. "I probably think about you a little more than I should with each passing day."

There was a slight pause within the air. Peeta wanted to speak up, but decided that the ball was in Katniss's court at that point.

"What do you think about?"

"I don't know. I mostly think about our kiss, and just being with you…but that's not the secret," Peeta answered in a deep low manner, for he didn't want to screw this up. "The secret is that I wish that you wanted me... as much as I want you," Peeta replied hoping that Katniss hadn't escaped out of the car yet.

Peeta looked over, and noticed that Katniss was staring back at him with her beautiful glimmering gray eyes.

"What makes you think that I don't?" Katniss asked, as she leaned into Peeta a bit and waited for Peeta to meet her halfway.

Peeta soon closed the gap between them, and captured Katniss's lips with his own. Peeta soon realized for the first time, since the party, he felt truly alive.

This was exactly what he had been missing these pass few days...the sheer warmth of Katniss's lips caressing his, and the exhilaration that came with being near her.

"I love taste of your lips," Katniss whispered into Peeta's mouth.

Peeta reached over and pulled Katniss onto his lap, so they could position themselves better since they were in the tight confides of the backseat.

"I've wanted to kiss you from the moment I laid eyes on you," Katniss whispered into Peeta's ear. She began running her fingers through the ashy blonde boys scalp, and slowly grabbed a fist full of his short curly hair.

"You have no idea what you do to me," Peeta whispered just loud enough for Katniss to hear.

"I think I have an idea," Katniss murmured as she began lifting Peeta's shirt over his head. "You okay?"

Peeta quickly got with the program and pulled Katniss closer to his body. Katniss then threw Peeta's shirt outside of the car, earning a small chuckle from Peeta. Katniss reached forward, and brought Peeta's small lips back to hers.

Peeta lost himself in the taste of Katniss's addictive lips. The close contact of their bodies was, undoubtedly, arousing for both them.

Peeta couldn't get enough of Katniss's silky smooth skin beneath his rough fingertips. He noticed the way Katniss would shiver each time his fingers brushed along the curve of her spine.

Katniss's shirt was still on, but it took all of her willpower to not remove the light cloth, for Peeta's touches felt both delicate, and assertive.

_She wanted to feel him everywhere._

Peeta quickly sat up and wrapped his arms around Katniss's waist.

Peeta's eyes were closed as he was trying to regain composer, but never wanting to stop kissing the girl who made his lips burn.

Peeta reluctantly removed himself from Katniss's lips, but rested his forehead on Katniss's chest.

Peeta soon gazed into Katniss's lust filled eyes, and didn't see her usual signature smirk, but he saw a genuine smile on her lips.

"You're certainly going to be trouble, Miss Everdeen," Peeta stated, while trying to catch his breath.

"Am I?" Katniss responded, as she bit back a tiny laugh that threatened to escape her lips. Katniss then laid her head upon Peeta's bare shoulder, revealing in the heat of the boy's soft skin.

"Yeah, I believe you are, but I don't mind trouble," Peeta stated, noticing the tender smile forming on Everdeen's mouth. "Maybe next time I should bring food, or dessert from the bakery."

"Next time…like a date?" Katniss whispered, with a mixture of curiosity and surprise.

"Yeah," Peeta answered, as he looked up towards Katniss. "Only if you want to."

"I want too," Katniss answered back without hesitation as she leaned in placing a kiss upon Peeta's cheek.

"Good," Peeta replied with a confident grin.

Katniss then rested her head on Peeta's shoulder feeling safe for the first time in a long while. The unusual sensation of contentment, she knew, came from being with Peeta… Peeta, the boy who cradled her in his strong-arms in the backseat of her most prized possession.

It was then that Katniss realized that she violated one of her own cardinal rules, for she had let someone in to see the real Katniss Everdeen.

Katniss knew there was no going back…and a part of her was okay with that.

**TBC...**

* * *

_Hi Everyone,_

_Thanks you so much for all the reviews, PM's, and follows! You are all truly the best;-) We are slowly figuring bit of Katniss's past, but we are about to reach a road bump. Let me know your thoughts so far, for I'm curious to know what you all think. We are also going to be seeing a few new characters, and what their roles are going to be. We also will be seeing a certain character that is not too thrilled with our couple getting together. (Wicked Smiles) Enjoy!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Title**: Tell Me That You're Mine

**Pairing**: Eventually Katniss/ Peeta

**Minor Characters**: Gale, Johanna, Finnick, Cato, Thresh, Glimmer and Marvel (Some other characters might show up unexpectedly)

**R****ated: R **for language and sexual content

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Hunger Games series, or any of the characters that belong to Suzanne Collins. I do not own rights to any songs that might be listed within the story and I also do not make any profit from this story.

_(I also currently do not have a beta, so I apologize for any grammatical errors you might fine)_

**Summary:** (AU: Everlark) Peeta Mellark just wanted to survive his Senior year, but after being coerced into a racing competition against a rival school he knew his life would never be the same…especially when he's up against the infamous, Katniss Everdeen. (Language/sexual content)

(Side Note: Katniss and Peeta have never met before)

* * *

**Chapter 6**

_"Yeah, I believe you are, but I don't mind trouble," Peeta stated, noticing the tender smile forming on Everdeen's mouth. "Maybe next time I should bring food, or dessert from the bakery."_

"_Next time…like a date?" Katniss whispered, with a mixture of curiosity and surprise._

_"Yeah," Peeta answered, as he looked up towards Katniss. "Only if you want to."_

_"I want too," Katniss answered back without hesitation as she leaned in placing a kiss upon Peeta's cheek. _

_"Good," Peeta replied with a confident grin. _

_Katniss then rested her head on Peeta's shoulder feeling safe for the first time in a long while. The unusual sensation of contentment, she knew, came from being with Peeta… Peeta, the boy who cradled her in his strong-arms in the backseat of her most prized possession. _

_It was then that Katniss realized that she violated one of her own cardinal rules, for she had let someone in to see the real Katniss Everdeen. _

_Katniss knew there was no going back…and a part of her was okay with that._

* * *

**Continued…**

**Mason Residence**

It had only been a few days since Peeta's visit to the Odair auto shop, and since then he hadn't been able to see Katniss properly. The difference this time around was that Peeta had programmed his number onto Katniss's cellphone right before he left the repair shop, for there was no way he was walking away this time around.

Peeta understood, with perfect clarity, that with each encounter with the brown-haired girl he found himself going under…and falling for her deeper than before.

Katniss, on the other hand, couldn't quite place what was going on with neither her head nor her heart, but rather than over analyzing the situation she just decided to let things take their proper course. For as long as Katniss could recall, people had a tendency to let her down, and even though she wanted to believe things were different this time around…apart of her continued to remain reserved.

Katniss was currently studying, at Johanna's house, for their upcoming Chemistry test on Friday.

Johanna had nonchalantly invited Katniss over to review the new Chemistry material, but Katniss knew better. Katniss knew that Johanna was probing for answers…_answers_ she wasn't ready to divulge yet.

"_So_..." Johanna began coolly with a matching expression, while reviewing her scribbled notes. "How are things?"

"Jo, we see each other everyday, and talk every night," Katniss stated, with a raised eyebrow, for she was well away of the game her friend was wickedly trying to play. "You know exactly how things are going."

"I'm just curious," Johanna responded, turning her gaze over to her oldest friend. "You just seem…_different_."

"Different?" Katniss smirked, never veering her eyes away from her textbook where she had been trying to review the organic compound chapter. "Curious about what?"

"I'm curious about all those mysterious text messages you've been receiving throughout the day," Johanna explained, closing her notebook, so that she could look directly towards her friend. "Like the message you received during fifth period Calculus…that left you smiling for hours."

"You're being paranoid," Katniss stated. "…and I was not smiling."

Johanna and Katniss had been best friends for as long as both could remember, and they never withheld secrets from one another.

Johanna had become aware of the obvious shift in Katniss' demeanor lately, and she couldn't quite figure it out. She had hoped her gal-pal would be open with her about any new developments, but, to no avail, Katniss remained a fortress of secrets.

Usually, Katniss was the type of person to always keep certain things to herself, but lately Johanna had observed an air of levity that radiated from her closest friend. Johanna even noticed Katniss grinning from time to time during the day, and it was usually after she received a mysterious text message.

"It's nothing," Katniss replied, with a shrug as she continued to work through her formulas on Johanna bedroom floor.

"Really? So…you haven't been covertly answering _like_ twenty text messages since you've been here? " Johanna sarcastically asked, not buying her friends answer for one minute. "What's the big secret? Who have you been texting for the past week?"

"Actually, my phone has only gone off twice since I arrived," Katniss responded back as she tried to not make a big deal out of the current situation. "No wonder you need my help with Chemistry you barely can count properly."

"Katniss, I'm serious," Johanna replied with frustration in her tone. "Are you in trouble?"

"No, I'm not," Katniss honestly confirmed, for she understood that Johanna was constantly concerned with her safe and welfare.

"Are you racing with the _Tributes_ again?" Johanna asked with a seriously stern expression, thinking about the elite-racing group that brought nothing but trouble into Katniss' life. "Please, tell me that you are not."

"I told you that I wasn't racing with _them_ anymore," Katniss reassured.

"Are you seeing someone?"

Katniss remained silent while she re-read page thirty-four for the fourth time that night.

"Why haven't you told me?" Johanna yelled with excitement, as she kneeled down next to her friend wanting to know all the details. "Why all the secrecy?"

"_Because_..." Katniss whispered, still keeping her eyes on her textbook. "We…_I_ don't want to make a big deal about this. This is something new for both of us and-"

"Holy Shit!" Johanna exclaimed, covering her open mouth with her hands. "You really like this secret guy."

"What are you rambling about?" Katniss asked, while rolling her eyes at Johanna, for a part of Katniss knew that, no matter what, her friend would see right through her strong veneer.

"You really like this guy…I can really tell," Johanna responded, with certainty, because she had never seen her friend so taken with someone like this before. "Why is it so hard for you to let someone in, Kat?"

"People always manage to let you down…that's why," Katniss whispered in a cold and reserved tone. "You can sit there, and tell me otherwise, but we both know it's a sad fact."

"So…why bother with this guy if you believe that he's just going to hurt you in the end?" Johanna asked as she scrutinized her friend reserved features.

"I guess it's just my teenage hormones getting the best of me," Katniss answered, looking up at her friend knowing Jo wasn't buying her confident facade for one second.

"Bullshit," Johanna cried out. "I'm calling out your bullshit."

Although, Katniss hardly ever said it she was truly grateful for Johanna being in her life. Johanna had been the only person there to comfort Katniss when her mother had left for good, and the only friend Katniss had confided in when she had grown distant with her stepfather, Haymitch.

"Would you like to partake in a little experiment, Miss Everdeen?" Johanna asked with a hint of confidence in her tone.

"What do you have in mind, Miss Mason," Katniss stated, with a matching tone.

"It's quite simple really…we would just take that little phone of yours, and place it on my desk for the remainder of the evening," Johanna began to explain noticing the perplexed look forming on Katniss's face. "You are not allowed to read or reply to any messages that come in."

"And what is all that going to prove, Jo?" Katniss asked rather confused, but noted the sly smirk on her friends face.

"Only that you are absolutely bewitched by this mystery texter if you retrieve your phone before the night is over," Johanna answered, as if her plan was utterly brilliant.

"Fine," Katniss reluctantly responded as she handed her phone over to Jo. "It's freaking absurd, but I'll do it."

Johanna then took Katniss's IPhone, and lightly placed it on her nightstand.

Katniss pretended to be reviewing the periodic table, but, at times, would casually look up towards her phone that was passively mocking her.

"So…does this person have a name?" Johanna finally asked after a long period of silence.

"Of course he has a name," Katniss answered, with an un-amused expression.

"Do I know this person?" Johanna continued, for she still longed for details on her friend's unclear love life. "Is he from District 12?

"Jesus Christ!" Katniss exclaimed, while slamming her textbook shut. "Another person who wants to play fifty questions with me."

"Fine, I'll drop the subject," Johanna stated, lifting her hand up in faux defeat. "Have you thought about what you want to do for the 20th?"

"Crap, I'd hoped you'd forgotten all about it," Katniss exhaled, knowing that there was no way around the pending 20th date. "Can't we just pretend like it's any other day of the week? My family already does."

"No, it's your birthday! We always celebrate it together," Johanna stated, as if the thought of not celebrating Katniss's birthday was pure blasphemy.

"I honestly haven't given it much thought," Katniss responded back.

"Because you've been too busy conversing with your..._friend_," Johanna added with a sly grin over her brightly painted lips.

Katniss was about to comment, but her phone began to ring loudly from Johanna's nightstand. Johanna looked over at Katniss to see if she would cave and reach for her phone; Meanwhile, Katniss was trying to pretend that she didn't care at all for it.

The phone rang for a few more seconds until it went straight to voicemail.

"So…Has Hawthorne asked you out yet?" Katniss asked, opening up the last page she left off in her textbook, but still continued to glaze in the general direction of her phone.

"I don't know what you are talking about?" Johanna stated, with a shrug. "We are just friends."

"Don't play coy with me, Miss Mason," Katniss responded, with a mock stern expression. "Has he asked you yet?"

"No," Johanna mumbled clearly upset that the boy, in question, hadn't made a move yet. "The boy doesn't know the first thing about dating a Mason."

"You like him?"

"You know I do," Johanna replied, looking down at her slender hands. "He's the only guy I've met in this damn town that doesn't treat me like a total freak."

"I know exactly how you feel," Katniss whispered, while trailing her vision back to her blinking phone, knowing that Peeta was the one reaching out to her. "Why don't you ask him out instead?"

"I should see if he wants to come out with us for your birthday," Johanna stated, with hint of excitement, but could clearly see her friend wasn't joining in on her enthusiasm.

"Um-_No_," Katniss quickly muttered, as she shook her head.

"And why not?"

"Well, lets see…**A**: Do you really want your best friend with you on your first date with a guy you really like? **B:** It's my birthday and I don't want to be the third wheel," Katniss explained, as she continued to make her points known. "Should I continue?"

"I'll ask Gale to bring a friend with him, if you want," Johanna offered, but immediately detected the detachment within her friend's gray eyes. "What? I'm assuming that you aren't ready to go public with this unknown guy you are clearly hiding."

"I'm saying no to your plans," Katniss stated, while discovering her phone ringing once more.

Katniss cautiously stared towards her friend with a questioning stare.

Then, without warning, Katniss immediately soared up to her feet, and sprinted over to retrieve her phone. Johanna tried to block Katniss's path, but Katniss was already running out the front door.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Jo," Katniss laughed, waving back to her friend with her phone in her hand.

"You've got it bad, Katniss!" Johanna shouted from the porch, watching her friend enter her crimson Camaro.

Katniss wouldn't openly admit that she had it bad… even though she spent a good portion of her time thinking about Peeta. Katniss pushed her wandering thoughts aside as she began listening to the voice message Peeta recently left her.

**New Message**: (_Beep_) _"Hey, I hope I'm not bothering you. I just wanted to hear your voice before my eternal shift at the bakery. I have a late shift, so I'll text you when I'm heading home. I can't wait to hear from you."(Beep_)

Katniss smiled as she could clearly hear the sincerity within Peeta's voice message.

One of the main things that Katniss enjoyed was that whenever she was around Peeta she knew that he didn't have any ulterior motives…there wasn't any hidden agenda.

The time Peeta spent with her was because he wanted to be with her…it was that simple.

Katniss decided that she had two options lying before her. Option #1, was to go home…or Option #2, she could make an impromptu stop at the bakery.

During this hour Cartwright's bakery was pretty much known to be somewhat empty, which would give them some time to themselves.

"Option #2…it is," Katniss purred, to herself while starting up her car engine.

* * *

**Cartwright Bakery**

"Are you sure about closing up tonight?" Delly asked, retrieving her backpack from behind the counter. "I could stay a bit longer?"

"I've got this," Peeta announced, from where he was stationed in the back kitchen. Peeta was just finishing up a new batch of cherry-almond tarts, and was going to start cleaning up the kitchen once he was done. "It's been a slow night, so you don't have to stick around."

"Alright," Delly answered, taking one last glance to where Peeta was standing wondering if she should stay, but still began making her way out of her grandfather's bakery. "See you tomorrow, Peeta."

Peeta was so enthralled with getting the tarts ready that he didn't even hear the front bell chimes, several minutes later, announcing a new customer.

Peeta hears faint footstep around the front area, and decided to check the front so the customer wouldn't be kept waiting. He quickly placed the tray of tarts down, and started making his way to the front.

"How can may I help-" Peeta began greeting, when he noticed Katniss standing by the front door with a undeniable smirk.

"Is this okay? I mean me stopping by," Katniss responded, not even trying to hide her growing smile, for she couldn't get over the surprised expression on Peeta's face.

She would never get over the way Peeta's face would light up when he would look over at her.

"Definitely," Peeta answered back, taking a few steps towards the young girl not stopping until his lips met hers. "It's definitely okay."

Katniss leaned into the kiss, while trying to make logical sense as to why her heart would rapidly beat whenever her lips met Peeta's.

"I'm glad you're here," Peeta whispered, as he removed his lips from Katniss.

Peeta's flour stained hands were touching both sides of Katniss's face, and grinned as he could see bits of flour remain on her skin.

"Well…you've been by my job, so I thought it was only fair if I see your place of employment," She responded trying to keep her breath steady. "Is this the required uniform?"

Peeta looked down at his paint stained pants, flour/icing covered apron, and disheveled shirt…in other words he was a mess.

"Oh," Peeta mumbled, trying to fix his ruffled hair a bit, but found Katniss reaching for his hands in order to stop him.

"You look fine, Peeta," Katniss reaffirmed. "I just enjoy getting under your skin."

"Do you?" Peeta asked, with a smile of his own forming, for he had come to enjoy their playful banter. Peeta began rubbing away the remnants of flour that was left on Katniss's cheeks.

"I do," Katniss confirmed with a nod, enjoying the feel of Peeta's strong hands lightly caressing her. "Do you need help with anything?"

"Come on," Peeta replied, as he laced his fingers together with Katniss's, leading her to the back kitchen where a few pastries were already out.

Peeta spent a few moments explaining a couple of the new pastry additions to Katniss.

Peeta only assumed that Katniss would soon tune him out once he began talking about the mundane process of baking several dishes, but he found that she actually listened to his every word with intrigue.

Peeta knew, perfectly well, that working at a bakery was different than the repair shop, but Katniss seemed comfortable there…with him.

Katniss gladly sat on one of the empty steel tables, watching Peeta carefully decorating a few cupcakes.

"You have great precision. I wish I had your patience," Katniss spoke out loud, as she continued to see him create each individual cupcake. "Where did you learn to do all this?"

"My mom use to bake when I was a kid," Peeta explained, while making sure his fingers didn't touch the delicate frosting. "Every Saturday morning she would bake with my younger sister, Hannah. I would be painting in the next room trying to focus, but I loved hearing them laugh. I could hear my mom explaining each recipe like it was yesterday…when she died-"

Katniss could see the melancholy within his dark blue eyes when discussing the loss of his beloved mother.

Losing someone is always difficult, and even though her own mother wasn't with her…Katniss knew that Layla was still alive somewhere.

Peeta, on the other hand, could never talk, fight, or even laugh with his mother ever again.

"When she died…" He continued with a certain steadiness to his tone. "I remember going into the kitchen one Saturday morning, and began baking. I started doing it for my sister, so that she could still feel like a piece of our mom was still with her. Now, I do it because it centers me…I feel grounded whenever I create something in here."

"I get that," Katniss whispered with a knowing nod. "You're really talented, Peeta."

"So are you," Peeta stated, finally looking up to see Katniss shaking her head in disagreement. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Pretend like you aren't special," Peeta stated, as if it was obvious.

"My only talent is driving a car at high speed," Katniss added with a shrug. "I've never really been good at anything else."

"I don't believe that," Peeta responded, lightly placing his brush down so he could focus on the girl sitting across from him. "I've never met anyone like you."

"Believe me…that's a good thing," Katniss added, trying not to focus on the intense stare Peeta was giving her. "I'm a…mess."

"Being a mess isn't necessarily a bad thing…it means you have character," Peeta stated noticing an aloof look forming on Katniss's face. "You have more talent, and more fire than any other person I've come into contact with…don't ever forget that."

Katniss looked closely into Peeta's dark blue eyes loving the way they shimmered when he addressed her.

"_Um_- Gale called me a few minutes before you arrived," Peeta began, knowing that he should change the subject, so Katniss wouldn't feel so uncomfortable. "He was shouting with total _freaking_ delight over the phone receiver."

"What about?" Katniss asked, while licking a bit of icing from the cupcake Peeta had offered her earlier.

"Johanna had asked him out on a _real_ date," Peeta answered, trying to contain his laughter. "Johanna mentioned that she couldn't go out with him this Friday because she had special plans with you."

Katniss rolled her eyes knowing that she needed to have a word with Johanna the next time she saw her.

Peeta, however, was looking back at her with utter amusement in his blue eyes.

"What?" Katniss asked, noticing Peeta's lingering expression.

"_Special plans_?" Peeta repeated, with a raised eyebrow. "Are you both planning on stealing Odair's vintage car, and not invite me?"

"It's nothing really," Katniss replied, clearly not liking the subject at hand, for her birthdate had always been an uncomfortable celebration for her. "It's just my…birthday."

"Were you even going to tell me?" Peeta asked, a bit taken back by the sudden information.

"Why would I? It's not a big such deal," Katniss chimed in, chewing on her freshly made pastry.

"Not a big deal…it's my _girlfri_-…I mean it's _your_ birthday," Peeta explained, hoping that Katniss hadn't noticed his verbal slip-up. "Birthday's are supposed to be special."

"Well, my birthday is not really a _special_ day to celebrate with my family," Katniss whispered, still keeping her eyes away from the boy in front of her. "The last time I saw my mom was on my birthday, so it's kind of a hard day for both my dad and I. We kind of just pretend it's a regular day. I don't even think Marvel knows when I was born."

Peeta continued to closely gaze towards Katniss, wondering what exactly was going through her mind, but could obviously see the discomfort in discussing her absent parent.

"Johanna always drags me out for my birthday…I always spend it with her," Katniss added, finally turning her gaze back to Peeta.

"I see," Peeta responded, trying not to let Katniss witness his disappointment on the present matter.

"_But_…maybe this year there's room for one more person," Katniss offered, with a knowing smile over to Peeta, but still not making eye contact.

Peeta turned, so he could get a better view of the girl still sitting on the steel table. "Really? Do you have anyone in mind?"

"Not really? I'll let you know if I choose anyone from here to this Friday," Katniss smirked, with a bit of frosting still remaining on her upper lip.

Peeta crossed over to where Katniss was presently sitting, lightly placing both his hands on either side of her soft face. Peeta wanted nothing more that to take in every bit of her exquisite beauty.

"You are so beautiful, and you don't even know it," Peeta whispered, just as he was leaning in for a kiss. The mixture of Katniss's lips and the remaining trace of frosting were too addicting, for there was no place he would rather be than with this captivating girl.

Katniss's ran her slender fingers through Peeta's thick ashy blonde hair, knowing that Johanna was, _indeed_, right…_she did have it bad_.

Katniss began placing soft kisses on Peeta's jawline, loving the way she could feel his heart beating from where her hand was placed over his chest.

"Even without the frosting…you lips are still the sweetest I've ever kissed," Peeta whispered, while resting his forehead with Katniss's.

Katniss was about to respond back when the chime, at the entrance of the bakery, began to ring.

"I'll- I'll be right back," Peeta sighed, as he placed on last chaste kiss on Katniss's nose just before heading to the front.

Peeta was hopeful that this customer would be a quick in ordering, but stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted both his sister and father by the counter.

"Hey," Peeta greeted, still a bit shocked that his family had just showed up unexpectedly at his job. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Hannah was craving those double fudge brownies," His father, Dean Mellark, replied, pointing to the tray behind the glass case. "You alright, Peeta? You look flushed."

"Yeah, I'm fine" Peeta stated, still out of breath because of the kiss he shared with Katniss just moments ago…Katniss-who was presently hiding in the back kitchen waiting for him. "I'll make you a to-go bag."

"Want us out of your hair so soon, Pete," Hannah laughed, watching her brother placing a few of the brownies in a small bag. "You're lucky to be out of the house. Dad, over here, keeps talking non-stop about a new Task Force he's been invited to attend."

"What Task Force?" Peeta asked his sister. For as long as Peeta and Hannah could remember, their father would thrive whenever he was given any additional duties, but both wished their dad would take more interest in their day-to-day activities.

"The City Council would like a special Task Force to review and implement a strategic plan for the underage-illegal activities within the city," Dean nonchalantly stated, while looking over any new emails on his phone. "The Mayor and other political affiliates believe that these activities are becoming rampant, and are endangering the lives of this town's citizen. The Task Force was given final approval to begin since that car racing incident, a few weeks back, which nearly injured a few pedestrians on Panem Ave."

"Illegal activity," Peeta repeated, trying to play it off as if he had no clue to what his father was talking about.

"Ask him about the _confidential_ folder he was given this evening at the meeting," Hannah responded, rolling her eyes because she felt everything with their father had some form of concealment. "These council appointees believe because of dad's background he'll be able to aid them with creating a functional plan for these nonconforming teens that run through town."

"Is he seriously considering taking a seat in this task force committee?" Peeta asked in a perplex manner, truly hoping that his father had too much on his plate to accept.

"He hasn't made a decision, but they gave him some file with a list of discrepancies that need to be addressed," Hannah whispered, while their father continued working, not even noticing that his children were talking about the meeting he just attended. "I find it absurd that these officials are wasting their time, and tax payers money with these underage activities…it's not like these teens are running a meth-lab in the basement of some school or robbing banks."

"I'm thinking that you don't need any more sugar, Hannah," Peeta remarked, while eyeing his father from the corner of his eye. "What kinds of discrepancies need to be monitored?"

"How should I know what's inside that tiny folder?" Hannah shrugged towards her brother in a not-so serious manner. "It's not like I read that the City Council is pulling resources, _specifically_, to investigate some underground racing competition, and are clearly focusing on an exclusive group of drivers that are supposedly handpicked from each district. I mean all that would imply that I read dad's secret file, and that would be… wrong."

"You never cease to amaze me," Peeta tried responding in a calm tone. "I, personally, think this is a quite town."

"Nothing is ever as it seems, Peeta…remember that," Dean Mellark insisted, as he placed his phone in his back pocket. "This town is filled with such disarray…starting with that drunk of a Sheriff."

"He's not a bad guy," Peeta stated, even though he didn't know Katniss' guardian very well, but the brief times she's mentioned him weren't to paint Haymitch in a negative light. "He does his job, and takes care of his family."

"If a man does not have order within his own household…how is he to have order over a town, Peeta," Dean demanded, with conviction, as he removed an item from the envelope he had been carrying when he arrived earlier.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Peeta asked.

Peeta couldn't make out the myriad of pictures his father was rummaging through, but from the looks of it he could only assume these were the handpicked riders from the elite-racing club Hannah had mentioned.

Peeta's heart skipped a beat the moment his father slammed a picture of Katniss on the counter.

The picture didn't appear recent, Katniss had her hair in two braids instead of one, but the utter look of determination was still evident within her gray eyes.

"Abernathy, I find, spends most of his time making sure that his delinquent daughter stays out of harm's way instead of focusing on keeping these streets safe."

"Stop," Peeta fumed, for he wasn't about to have his father badmouthing the girl he was spending time with…the same girl that he quickly realized was only a room away. "You don't even know this girl."

"Do you?" Dean remarked offhand. "From what I've gathered, this girls own mother nearly killed a few innocent bystanders during some street race a few years back…It clearly seems as though her daughter is falling down the same dangerous path. This girl you are defending hijacked her father's police cruiser for a _joy-ride_ at the age of thirteen, I heard it took three State Troopers to bring that chase to an end."

"Did you learn all of this in your Task Force meeting or from the neighbor gossip column?" Peeta hissed, knowing that his skin was burning with anger, for he hated the way his father spoke ill of the Everdeen family. "I never pegged you for someone who listens to meaningless chatter. From where I'm standing this is a girl that's had a hard life, and is constantly under some form of public scrutiny."

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, Peeta," Dean stated, looking closely at his son. "…Just as I'm entitled to mine, and from what I can see…that Everdeen girl is quicksand, and, mark my words, she will drown anyone who gets too close."

Peeta, rolled his eyes, and handed the bag over to his quiet sister.

Both, Peeta and Hannah, knew that it didn't matter the discussions they would have with their father on certain topics, for Dean Mellark was a man that held strong views that could never be challenged or changed. Within the Mellark household, one knew to keep personal points of view out of dinner discussion because neither Peeta nor Hannah could stomach the long and torturous lectures from their father.

"I have a lot of work to do, so I'll see you both at home," Peeta stated before his father could utter another remark.

Peeta pushed through the kitchen door hoping that Katniss hadn't heard a single word that had been discussed within the next room, but immediately noticed that she was no longer in the kitchen waiting for him…_she was gone_.

The backdoor was still slightly opened, and a half eaten cupcake was placed where she had been sitting before he left.

The only thought ringing in Peeta's mind was that Katniss had heard everything.

"Shit," Peeta muttered under his breath, while reaching for his phone in order to contact her but to no avail he didn't pickup. "Shit."

TBC…

* * *

Hi Everyone, Well I'm pretty sure that some of you are curious about the elite racing group. This group is not a part of Odair's racing competitions. I'll explain later on Katniss' affiliation with the _Tribute_ racers. We are also finding out a bit more about Katniss' mom, and her rocky relationship with Haymitch. There are still more scenes to come, and I hope you'll let me know what your thoughts are so far! Tons of hugs!


	7. Chapter 7

**Title**: Tell Me That You're Mine

**Pairing**: Eventually Katniss/ Peeta

**Minor Characters**: Gale, Johanna, Finnick, Cato, Thresh, Glimmer and Marvel (Some other characters might show up unexpectedly)

**R****ated: R **for language and sexual content

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Hunger Games series, or any of the characters that belong to Suzanne Collins. I do not own rights to any songs that might be listed within the story and I also do not make any profit from this story.

_(I also currently do not have a beta, so I apologize for any grammatical errors you might find)_

**Summary:** (AU: Everlark) Peeta Mellark just wanted to survive his Senior year, but after being coerced into a racing competition against a rival school he knew his life would never be the same…especially when he's up against the infamous, Katniss Everdeen. (Language/sexual content)

(Side Note: Katniss and Peeta have never met before)

* * *

**Chapter 7**

"_Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, Peeta," Dean stated, looking closely at his son. "…Just as I'm entitled to mine, and from what I can see…that Everdeen girl is quicksand, and, mark my words, she will drown anyone who gets too close."_

_Peeta, rolled his eyes, and handed the bag over to his quiet sister. _

_Both, Peeta and Hannah, knew that it didn't matter the discussions they would have with their father on certain topics, for Dean Mellark was a man that held strong views that could never be challenged or changed. Within the Mellark household, one knew to keep personal points of view out of dinner discussion because neither Peeta nor Hannah could stomach the long and torturous lectures from their father._

"_I have a lot of work to do, so I'll see you both at home," Peeta stated before his father could utter another remark. _

_Peeta pushed through the kitchen door hoping that Katniss hadn't heard a single word that had been discussed within the next room, but immediately noticed that she was no longer in the kitchen waiting for him…she was gone._

_The backdoor was still slightly opened, and a half eaten cupcake was placed where she had been sitting before he left._

_The only thought ringing in Peeta's mind was that Katniss had heard everything._

"_Shit," Peeta muttered under his breath, while reaching for his phone in order to contact her but to no avail he didn't pickup. "Shit."_

* * *

**Continued… **

**Abernathy-Trinket Residence**

When Katniss was a small child she use to visit the local National park with her mother and Haymitch. The sensation of being immersed in a vast forest without a care in the world was something that she longed for even to this day. The rich colors of the meadows, and the silence within the calming fields were memories that she still cherished.

Katniss could recall with, perfect clarity, the way if felt to be a part of a real family, and the way if felt to know that she was safe…and loved.

Katniss would give anything to feel that way again, for she understood that it was hard for Haymitch to look at her without thinking about the wife he loved, _unconditionally_, who left him.

A fragment of Katniss yearned to scream until she no longer had any traces of anger left in her heart.

Katniss continued to ignore the incoming calls from Peeta, and even though she had heard only portions of his conversation with Colonel Mellark it was enough to know that she would never be fully welcomed into the Mellark household.

Katniss refused to be a thorn in that family's existence.

Katniss started making her way through the front door when she heard Haymitch and Marvel discussing, what sounded like, the topic of an upcoming game against District 4.

Katniss wanted to sneak away into the quiet confines of her room, but found herself slowly making her way over to the kitchen where the voices were originating.

Katniss was then able to plainly see both men deliberating on various football plays and proper tactics.

Katniss envied the way Marvel was able to make her dad feel at ease; Katniss knew that whenever she entered the room her father's features would shift.

Katniss wasn't blind, for she understood that her mother abandoning them was undoubtedly difficult for Haymitch, but there were times when she wanted him to be the kind-hearted man she knew as a child…and not the cold-distant stranger she had come to know as a young adult.

When Katniss was old enough to drive she took to racing, for each time she got behind the wheel of the car she felt closer to her mother…but the closer she got to her mother the further away from her father she became.

Katniss felt as though she had also become a stranger in her stepfather's eyes, and neither of them knew how to work through it in order to find some common ground.

Katniss soon decided to retire to her room, and left the two men talking in the kitchen.

Katniss entered her bedroom, and immediately threw herself on top of the semi-neat bed, wanting nothing more than to forget everything that had just occurred that evening. Katniss was completely lost in thought when she heard her phone vibrating inside her back pocket.

Every inch of her wanted to pick it up, and hear Peeta's calming voice…but another fragment didn't want to hear if he was calling to say that he never wanted to see her again.

Katniss wasn't proud of the choices she had made, in the past, when her mother left, but they were her own mistakes to make.

Each of them made her into the person she was today, and even though people within the town believed she was nothing but a mere problem…Katniss knew that she shouldn't let the small simple-mindedness of them keep her confined to this town.

Katniss let the phone ring a few more times, until it went straight to voicemail. Katniss didn't exactly know what to do, for she had never really been in a relationship before…if that's what she was labeling what was going on between her and Peeta.

In order to have a relationship there needed to be some level of trust, and trust wasn't something that came naturally to Katniss.

The major paradox she was encountering was that she wanted nothing more than to take a chance on Peeta…and that scarred her more than driving 80mph down a dark road with no headlights.

"Are you alright?" a voice stated, curiously from the opposite side of the room.

Katniss looked up from where she was lying, and saw Marvel by the entrance of her door.

"Do you want the truth or a lie?" Katniss asked, while placing her phone down.

"Lie to me," Marvel responded with a chuckle, knowing that Katniss always played this game whenever she refused to be frank about her feelings.

"Everything is just peachy," Katniss answered sarcastically, gazing up towards her stepbrother, and then back at her phone.

Marvel continued to silently observe his stepsister, and quickly noted that something was definitely different about her, yet he couldn't quite yet place it.

For the first time, since they were kids, Marvel noticed an air of insecurity behind Katniss' determined eyes with a glint of uncertainty.

"I heard Thom saying that Rider #17 is scheduled to enter the Columbus competition at the Palace on Thursday," Marvel stated, trying to be indifferent about the news he was delivering while searching his stepsister's features for clues.

"I didn't know that," Katniss answered, in a low manner, still not meeting her Marvel's gaze.

"Just do me a favor, and promise me that you won't go to that competition," Marvel stated, with a level of concern Katniss wasn't use to hearing from him. "Nothing good can come for going to that competition."

"Do you want me to tell you the truth or do you want me to lie?" Katniss answered, as she finally looked up at the taller boy in front of her.

Marvel couldn't bring himself to even answer, for he knew that Katniss was just like Haymitch, both very much set in their ways.

Marvel could only hope that seeing Rider #17 wouldn't fracture Katniss' heart more than it already was.

"Lie to me," were the only words Marvel could mutter just before exiting the room, so that he could leave his sister with her own worries.

* * *

**Mellark Residence**

Peeta was a nervous wreck by the time he entered his front door. There were parts of Peeta that wanted to drive-by Katniss' house and explain the whole ordeal, but he knew that wasn't the best course of action when dealing with an angry Everdeen.

Katniss needed to process any thoughts that were racing through her mind, and when she was ready she would talk…or at least he hoped.

Peeta entered the low-lit kitchen when he spotted his father sitting at the counted with a plate of leftovers.

Peeta was really in no mood to deal with the Colonel, or at least not that very moment, but he clearly couldn't show his obvious discontentment towards his father either.

"You hungry?" His father offered, noting that his son wasn't in any disposition to have a conversation.

"I already ate," Peeta answered, opening the refrigerator to retrieve a bottle of water. "I'm really tried, so I'm going to get some rest."

Peeta was about to head towards the stairs when he heard his father voice speaking to him.

"It seems as though I don't know much about how you're adjusting to life here in Lancaster," Dean stated with a shrug. "Hannah is constantly talking my ear off about boys and school, but you're very...reserved. You always have been."

"There's really nothing to say?" Peeta answered, for he knew that he couldn't just openly talk about his growing feelings for the Sheriff's daughter to his father.

"How's school treating?" Dean inquired, for he could clearly tell that he son wanted nothing more than to retreat somewhere away from him, and that thought truly cut deep.

"School's fine," Peeta answered blankly.

"Have you given any thought to college?" Dean asked, seeing his son shake his head in response. "Well, you must be exhausted, so I won't keep you."

Peeta watched as his father place a few dishes in the sink, but before he began clean them he placed his old wedding band on the windowsill. It was then that Peeta found himself asking a certain question that had been plaguing him for quite sometime.

"Why haven't you remarried?" Peeta asked bluntly, quickly seeing the perplexed expression his father had because of the question that was just conveyed to him. "I mean you don't even date."

"Peeta, when you meet someone…someone truly unique in every manner, that person tends to ruin you for anyone else," Dean answered frankly turning his gaze back to the stained dishes.

"What do you mean by _ruin you_ for anyone else?" Peeta asked, as he looked at his father.

"What I mean is that, your mother was so incredible that I find myself comparing her to every woman I meet," Dean explained, while washing the plate he had been using earlier. "She was the only woman to ever see every bit of my demons, and not pull away."

Peeta watched his always-composed father look rather..._lost_.

Colonel Mellark wasn't the type to show any signs of weakness, for his job required him to leave his fears at the door. It was hard for him to shift from being a Colonel to being an ordinary father.

"Don't get me wrong there have been some woman who have approached me for dates, but each time I can't help but see your mother's gorgeous face," Dean explained, with a low voice. "I would be wasting their time because...I'm still very much in love with your mother."

Peeta always noticed that whenever his father mentioned his mother he would immediately look down at his old wedding ring that he still wore.

"You know for a man who can shoot any target from a billion angles you're kind of a romantic," Peeta replied with a chuckle, but still very much upset about the heated discussion they had earlier. "Are you planning on joining the Task Force for the Council?"

"Mayor Snow believes this could be an excellent opportunity, especially since we are planning on staying here for a while," Dean replied, but detected a look of reserve that was written across his son's face. It was the same look his son had earlier that evening at the bakery. "…If you don't want me to I can decline the offer."

This comment took Peeta a bit by surprise since his father was never the kind to decline proposals that could further his career or status. The mere fact that his father was asking him for his opinion made Peeta suspicious since he knew that, in the end, his father would carry out his own ruling no matter what.

"It's not my decision to make," Peeta stated, with a nod as he turned to head towards his bedroom, but stopped to say goodnight to his sister.

"Hey," Peeta greeted, when he noticed his sister on her computer reviewing what looked like the Lancaster Times local newspaper. "What are you up to?"

"Checking out our local current events," Hannah stated with a smirk. Peeta rolled his eyes as he noticed a newspaper clipping, on Hannah's computer, which was dated seven years back. "This town has a lot of interesting skeletons lurking about."

"Would you stop snooping, and get some rest," Peeta ordered, while looking down at his phone for the twentieth time that evening, hoping that Katniss would call him back.

"You realize that you are only two years older than me, so there's no need to go all parental-cyborg on me," Hannah stated with a chuckle. "Speaking of parental units…what was up with you giving the Colonel the cold stare at the bakery? You are usually the passive one, Pete."

"It's nothing," Peeta shrugged off, for he didn't want to go over his girl trouble with is sister. "I'm just exhausted."

"Well, all I know is that he was truly stunned by your unwavering response in regards to Katniss Everdeen," Hannah replied, with a curious expression. "Which made me realize that you are either being very chivalrous in standing up for a girl you hardly know, or you are standing up for a girl you know…and like."

"Goodnight, Hannah," Peeta stated, as he began making his way towards his room down the hall.

"Answer the question, Mellark," Hannah shouted from her work desk.

"Goodnight, Mellark," Peeta responded, before shutting the door in response. All he wanted to do was fall asleep, in hopes that tomorrow would be a better day.

* * *

**Odair Auto-Repair**

**Next Evening…**

Katniss wasn't having the best night one could possibly have, for she had to put in extra hours at the shop so she could have off for her birthday.

It was also her turn to close up the shop, so she had all the time in the world to think and fester.

Katniss understood that one of the reason's she was so upset was due to the fact that she could still hear Mr. Mellark's opinion about her and her family running through her mind. The worst of it all was that Peeta heard, first hand, a few vicious lies that had been following her all her life.

It was only a matter of time before the town gossip got to Peeta, and he would eventually distance himself from her.

Katniss tried not to let it all vex her, but she recognized, deep down, that she was truly drawn to the ashy blonde boy. Katniss never wanted to open herself up for disappointed, but somehow she was feeling it right now.

Katniss was currently changing the oil on an old pick-up truck when she heard someone walking into the garage.

"We're closed," Katniss called out, not bothering to see who was behind her.

"Hey," Peeta greeted in a quiet manner.

Katniss turned to see Peeta with a brown bag in his hands. Katniss casually turned in order to continue working on the car.

"I'm bit busy tonight," Katniss mumbled, under her breath, trying to not let Peeta notice that she was clearly distraught.

"I know you have a ton of work to catch up on. I just wanted to stop by to see you," Peeta stated, while looking at Katniss. One didn't need to be a rocket scientist to see that she was, indeed, upset. "I wanted to talk about the other night…what you may have heard."

"You didn't need to come all the way down here to explain," Katniss replied feeling an unbelievable ache originating from her chest. "It not like I haven't heard anything your father had said before. I've heard it all since I was a kid."

"Katniss," Peeta began, but was quickly cut off by Katniss' firm tone.

"The accident that your father was talking about wasn't my mothers fault," Katniss confirmed still keeping her back to Peeta. "My mother did street race a while back, but she later moved on to racing professionally. During a routine drag race her engine malfunctioned, but she made every effort to make sure she didn't harm anyone spectators…People here love to exaggerate things."

"You don't need to explain-"

"I did steal my fathers police cruiser, but it wasn't for a _joy ride_," Katniss continued to explain cutting Peeta off, once again, for she felt she needed to get all these things off of her chest before she lost her nerve. "I took it when I found out Haymitch was getting married to Effie Trinket…I guess a part of me believed that he would always wait for my mother, but I guess another part of me always believed she would come back for us."

"Katniss…I-_um_," Peeta murmured, under his breath, knowing that it was obviously hard for her to be open about the past, and the struggles of constantly trying to defend herself from the lies that followed her. "Can you please turn around? Please."

Katniss deeply inhaled, for she found it much easier having this discussion when she wasn't looking into the Peeta's hauntingly beautiful eyes.

Katniss placed the wrench she had been working with down on the table next to her, and slowly turned in order to finally face the broad shouldered boy.

Peeta had placed the brown bag on a nearby table, and looked as if he was worried about her next words.

"I wasn't lying when I said that my life was a mess," Katniss whispered, knowing exactly what she needed to do even though every piece of her was telling her not to. "I think maybe you should go."

"What do you mean?" Peeta asked, hoping that she meant to leave just for tonight, and not indefinitely.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, or my family," Katniss responded, while trying to hide the sadness that was evident within her very eyes. "I think maybe its best we stop…for a while."

"Look, if this is about my dad-"

"It's not…its just I like you, Peeta," Katniss whispered meeting Peeta's intense gaze.

"I'm really not following," Peeta stated with confusion. "Then, why do you want to stop seeing each other?"

There was a brief moment of silence, until Katniss found the right words to express what was going through her mind.

"When I was younger, I started to learn that people have a way of disappointing you," Katniss remarked, while looking down at her grease stained hands. "When I was old enough to figure it all out for myself I started to build these walls around me, so that I wouldn't-"

Katniss stopped midsentence for she found that these words were too hard to even utter.

"In all my life I never felt like I belonged anywhere," Katniss replied in an offbeat tone. "…_Until I met you_."

Peeta felt his heart skip a beat, and for a split second he thought that he had misheard what Katniss had just stated…but by the way she was gazing at him he knew he wasn't wrong.

"I don't feel like a freak whenever I'm standing next to you, fixing crap in this garage…I like you more than I should, and I don't want to drag you or your family into my mess of a life."

"Look, I know that you're scared, but…I want to be with you," Peeta firmly stated, as he crossed the room until he was standing closer to Katniss. "I've been to a dozen schools all around, and each time I felt like there needed to be something more out there...nothing made sense me…but I find that you are the only thing that makes sense to me."

"You should go," Katniss murmured, trying her best to not let her emotions surface through.

Peeta didn't know what else to say, so instead he reached into his back pocket in order to retrieve a small neatly wrapped box. Peeta calmly positioned the box on top of the worktable Katniss had been working on.

"What is this?" Katniss whispered, turning her gaze over to the little wrapped item.

"Open it," Peeta instead, waiting for Katniss to respond.

She carefully reached for the mysterious wrapped item, and began to slowly unwrap it until she found a small velvet box. Katniss viewed Peeta with curiosity, and slowly proceeded to open the box.

It was there that Katniss Everdeen found herself completely speechless.

Katniss looked down at the small silver raven pendant that was connected with a long chain…it was an utterly beautiful necklace.

"You mentioned that you use to listen to the Beatles when you were younger, and that _Blackbird_ was your favorite song," Peeta began explaining, as he reached into the box that was nestled inside Katniss' hands, and carefully picked up the delicate necklace. "I remember you telling me that your favorite lyrics, from the song, were, '_Take these broken wings and learn to fly_'. I bought this for your birthday, this Friday, but I guess now is the best time to give it to you."

Peeta began placing the necklace around Katinss' slender neck.

"I have no doubt that you are going to fly away from this town," Peeta whispered, while looking into the young girls eyes with sincerity. "You are going to set this world on fire, and I mean that in the best way possible…Goodbye, Katniss."

Katniss was stunned by the thoughtful gesture, and almost missed Peeta leaving the garage.

She didn't know what to say or even do…she was paralyzed.

All she could do was watch Peeta slowly making his way out the front door, but just before he left he turned one last time to get a quick glimpse of her.

Katniss was standing still in the middle of the garage with one hand still holding on to the raven pendant that was just given to her.

Peeta thought he could see pools of saline tears threatening to spill from Katniss' gray eyes, and so a part of him wanted to rush over to her…but he knew that she wanted him to go.

This was her decision and even though it was killing him inside he needed to respect it.

Peeta then turned back, and finally made his way out of the Odair repair shop.

In that quiet moment, Katniss could hear her mother's voice.

As a child, her mother use to tell her that life was a series of incredible adventures, and one mustn't be afraid to seize the moment when it presented itself.

Katniss recognized that she had her own fair share of regrets, but letting Peeta walk out of the garage that night was, without a single doubt, going to be her biggest regret.

TBC…

* * *

Hi Everyone,

Please don't send the angry mob my way, but just know that there is a method to all my madness. I'm sure you are curious to know who Rider #17 is, and we will be revealing their identify in the next chapter. We are also reaching Katniss' birthday, so we will be seeing a few surprises on the way. Enjoy!


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